ã€ŠSeekers&#x27; Gameã€‹


 Chapter 1: Captured

    Captured

    One fell from the sky and the other stepped out from the shadows. A man and a woman; the two most dangerous people I¡¯d ever met. The woman stepped forward, spreading her arms and addressing the fifteen of us.

    ¡°Welcome to our game.¡±

    . . . . .

    When a child is bored, it¡¯s the ants under their feet that suffer. When a Seeker is bored, it¡¯s much the same. The only difference is the ants.

    Graham found himself in a rather precarious situation precisely because of bored Seekers. Two of them, in fact. They¡¯d gathered up regular people to participate in some sick survival game for their amusement; Graham was one of them. Let¡¯s go back to this morning, when he was blissfully unaware of what was to come.

    <hr>

    He started the day as he normally did, firing up the computer to play Barren Expanse. He spent a few hours grinding his level and participating in raids to obtain rare items. Once satisfied with his haul, he visited the Item Swap forum and sold it.

    He smiled, watching the number on his bank account go up. ¡°Annnnd, that should be enough to pay rent!¡± He stood and stretched, chuckling to himself. The clock said it was already past noon, so he left his second-floor apartment and headed to the convenience store to pick up something to eat.

    The area he lived in was a bit poor. Most buildings were in need of some repairs; paint chipping off, cracked windows, etc. Graham kept his head down as he walked the four blocks to the convenience store, avoiding the eyes of the guys smoking on their steps and ignoring the jackass blazing music from his do-it-yourself convertible.

    At the store, he grabbed a basket and started walking the aisles. While grabbing a half-gallon of milk, he turned to see a man a bit down the aisle, dressed in a black hoodie and sweatpants with his hood up. Beyond that, he was even wearing sunglasses!

    ¡°Shit, is he gonna rob the place?¡± Graham looked away, heading to the next aisle at a faster pace. ¡°Let¡¯s just get some lunch meat and get out of here.¡± He stopped at the deli counter and asked for a pound of turkey, looking around nervously. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the hooded man come out of an aisle and stop to look at him. Or, at least, he assumed he did. It was hard to tell with the sunglasses.

    Graham¡¯s breath sped up as the man continued to look his way. ¡°What the fuck does he want? He¡¯s not actually after me is he?¡± The hooded man started walking his way. Graham¡¯s eyes nearly fell out of his head. ¡°Hurry up, deli guy! Give me the fucking turkey!¡± His foot tapped against the ground and he felt around in his pocket for pepper spray. Of course, he forgot it at home. ¡°Fuck!¡±

    The hooded man was right behind him. Sweat ran down Graham¡¯s forehead and his back tingled; he could almost feel the knife¡ªthat this guy surely had!¡ªsliding in between his ribs. Finally, the deli worker returned and handed him his bag of turkey. Graham took it, turned awkwardly¡ªtrying to keep Hood Man out of his line of sight¡ªand walked away.

    He made for the nearest aisle and, just as he entered, heard a low voice. ¡°I¡¯d like some ham,¡± it said. Graham stopped, turned on his heel and gaped as Hood Man pointed out which type of ham he wanted to buy. Graham slapped a hand to his forehead and headed for the front to pay for his stuff.

    ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot,¡± he thought. ¡°He was just in line behind me! What the fuck was I freaking out about?!¡± Sure, it was a little weird to be dressed like that and wear sunglasses in a store but it¡¯s not a crime, right?

    Graham¡¯s heart rate slowed down and he breathed a sigh of relief. He paid for his food and headed home, plastic bags in hand. At the door to his apartment building, he quickly had a look around. ¡°No sign of Hood Man. See, he didn¡¯t want anything to do with me!¡± He chuckled and headed in.

    His apartment only had four rooms; living room, kitchen, bathroom, and the bedroom. He started putting his food away, then went back to playing Barren Expanse. At five, he left again to go for his evening run. He spent every day playing video games and he was determined to not get fat. Besides, he actually enjoyed running.

    He started jogging on the route to the park, where he would do most of the actual running. ¡°I wonder who¡¯ll win the next Seeker battle?¡± he thought. Seeker Battles were events where Seekers were pitted against each other to compete for a prize. It was an incredible spectacle, as Seekers had superhuman abilities like the power to control fire or fly or super-strength. Graham never missed a match.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    He turned a corner and stopped short. A group was taking up most of the sidewalk, smoking, talking, and pushing each other around. ¡°Fireboys,¡± Graham thought, scowling. They were a gang that operated in the neighborhood. They definitely wouldn¡¯t just let him past. ¡°Maybe I can get through the alley?¡±

    He backtracked and found the alley empty. It was dark and there were plenty of places for someone to hide. Fingering the pepper spray that he¡¯d remembered this time, he decided to risk it. He took careful steps, spray in hand and his finger on the trigger. Frequently, he¡¯d turn his head back to make sure no one had entered behind him.

    Suspicion began to grow in his chest. ¡°Why is it so dark in here? It¡¯s only five in the evening. The shadows shouldn¡¯t be so deep.¡± The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. ¡°Let¡¯s go back home. This isn¡¯t a good day for a run.¡± He turned around, but a figure blocked the way back. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hood Man!¡±

    He immediately triggered the pepper spray and aimed it at Hood Man¡¯s eyes. Hood Man simply raised a hand and the stream flew off to the side. Graham paled, stumbling back and falling.

    The man chuckled. ¡°I prefer to be called Nautilus.¡±

    Graham pointed an accusing finger. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a Seeker! What do you want?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to come with me, blondie. I have something very important I need you to do.¡±

    ¡°You, you can¡¯t take me anywhere! It¡¯s kidnapping. The MPA will find you and put you in jail!¡± Graham shouted. He pulled out his phone, intending to press the emergency button that would have the MPA there in a few short minutes.

    The MPA, or Mortal Protection Agency, policed Seekers and ensured they didn¡¯t abuse their powers to harm mortals. They were a strong presence in most of the world.

    Nautilus raised his hand and pointed at the phone. A black beam shot through it, putting a clean hole in the device. Graham gaped at his broken phone, then looked behind him, where another hole could be seen in the ground.

    Nautilus approached slowly, dark energy swirling around his finger. Graham scrambled backward, but he couldn''t get away. Nautilus pressed the finger against Graham¡¯s forehead and everything went black.

    <hr>

    When Graham awoke, it was morning again, but he was not in his bed. Tall trees surrounded him where he lay in the overgrown grass. A bug landed on his face and he screamed, writhing and swatting at his face to get it off. He managed it and stood, looking around warily for other evil bugs that might mistake him for a perch.

    ¡°Alright, why the fuck am I in the woods?¡± Rather, it was a clearing in the woods. An empty circle in the canopy above allowed him to see the sky. He patted himself down, frowning as he noticed wet patches on his tracksuit from the dew. ¡°Must be early morning.¡± If he looked into the trees, he could make out the sun shining through the canopy.

    ¡°Nautilus must have brought me here. But, why?¡± He tried to leave the clearing but came to an invisible wall. He pushed against it with his hands to no avail. Slowly, he circled the clearing, testing the wall. There were no openings. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m trapped. This is bad, but don¡¯t panic. You¡¯re not dead, so there¡¯s still hope.¡±

    He went to the center of the clearing and sat down on a large rock. ¡°Hold on, do I still have my things?¡± He rummaged through his pockets, emptying them on a bare patch of dirt in front of him. ¡°Okay, pepper spray, broken phone, granola bar, house keys.¡±

    He examined the phone, looking at the perfect circle that had been cut through it. It was angled slightly downward. There were no signs of melting plastic and, somehow, the battery wasn¡¯t leaking acid. Which was good, cause it¡¯d been in his pocket until now.

    He swallowed heavily. ¡°So this is the kind of thing a Seeker can do¡­ I¡¯ve never seen those kinds of abilities in person.¡± He shook his head and stuck the phone back in his pocket. It might be useful later, somehow. He grabbed the granola bar, tore the wrapper off, and held the bar in his mouth while he picked up the rest of his things. Then he went back to the clearing''s edge and started scraping the barrier with his keys while eating his breakfast. ¡°Maybe if I keep doing this for long enough, it¡¯ll break?¡± he mumbled around the chewy bar. It was worth a shot.

    Something thudded to the ground behind him and he whipped around, pressing his back against the barrier and shoving the rest of the bar in his mouth. A man dressed in thick black robes dropped a second unconscious person on the ground next to the first. His face was covered by a hood, casting it in deep shadows. Graham tensed, his hands balling into fists. ¡°Nautilus!¡± he thought. He was dressed differently, but the dangerous air about him was the same.

    Graham glanced at the two sleeping people at his feet. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just me he wanted. There¡¯re others.¡± One was a massive red-haired man, tall and well-muscled. Of course, despite his impressive physique, he was no match for a Seeker. The other was a dark-skinned woman, wearing a stylish sweater and jeans. She¡¯d probably be mad when she found grass stains on her clothes.

    Nautilus clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°I see you¡¯re awake. Well, I¡¯ve brought you some friends.¡±

    Graham swallowed the rest of the granola and worked himself up. ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you want with us?¡± He concealed his shaking hands in his pockets.

    Nautilus chuckled. ¡°You sit tight here, not that you have any choice. Everything will become clear in just a little while.¡± He passed through the barrier like it wasn¡¯t there and vanished in the shadow of a tree.

    Nautilus returned a number of times, always bringing a few new ¡®friends¡¯ with him. Finally, he dropped off the fifteenth person. Unexpectedly, someone fell from the sky, landing lightly next to Nautilus. A woman whose hair was dyed blue with red streaks. She had a wide jaw and high cheekbones. Her pants were made of leather and she wore a top that came down to her thighs, cinched at the waist with a belt. A short sword hung on the left.

    ¡°She feels more dangerous than Nautilus,¡± Graham thought. She met his eyes and waved her fingers at him. He flinched and looked away. ¡°Definitely dangerous.¡± Everyone began to wake up, all at once.

    The woman strode forward, spread her arms, and smiled. ¡°Welcome to our game!¡±

 Chapter 2: Striking Out

    Striking Out

    A game? A game! Why do I get the feeling it¡¯s not the type of game I¡¯m good at?

    . . . . .

    The woman, the Seeker, slowly looked at each of them, put her hands on her hips, and smirked. ¡°You will all address me as Seraphim.¡±

    Graham watched as the others took in their surroundings. He slowly moved to the side, positioning himself next to the barrier and placing a hand on it. People began talking and shouting at each other:

    ¡°Where am I?¡± a woman said.

    ¡°What the fuck is going on?!¡± a portly man said.

    A man with a shaved head and baggy clothes looked at Seraphim. ¡°Who¡¯s this bitch?¡±

    Graham blanched. ¡°Fuck, why¡¯d he have to do that?¡±

    Seraphim smiled, slowly raised a hand, and waved it. It was a light wave, almost negligent, but the result spoke for its power. The man was thrown bodily through the air and hit the barrier with crushing force. He let out a wet gasp as blood spilled from his mouth and a loud crunch echoed through the clearing. He fell to the ground, limp and twitching.

    Graham¡¯s breath hitched, his heart pumping, and he leaned against the barrier so he wouldn¡¯t collapse. Cries of shock rang out from the others. A brown-haired girl fell to her knees, weeping. A man with platinum blonde hair rushed to the injured man¡¯s side, checking his pulse.

    ¡°Still alive!¡± He looked around frantically. ¡°Is anyone here a doctor?¡± No one came forth.

    A few were trying to comfort the crying girl, who seemed inconsolable. Others, braver, eyed Seraphim warily. No one tried to do anything to her, but they seemed prepared to protect themselves.

    ¡°Not that it¡¯d help,¡± Graham thought. ¡°You can¡¯t stand up to a fucking Seeker. Not unless you¡¯re a Seeker, too.¡±

    Seraphim laughed. ¡°Do you all understand why I just did that?¡± No one answered. She held up two fingers. ¡°Two reasons. One, He didn¡¯t address me as Seraphim, and I¡¯d just told you all to do so. Two, to help you understand your place here. I am in control. I make the rules. You do as I say. Understood?¡±

    She looked around, but no one met her gaze. ¡°Nod!¡± They all nodded, except for the platinum-haired man. He was too busy fussing over the dying man.

    ¡°Come on, buddy,¡± he said, slapping the man¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Keep breathing. Don¡¯t close your eyes, okay?¡± It was questionable whether the man heard what he was saying, or if he¡¯d understand if he did.

    Seraphim narrowed her eyes, sauntering towards them. The crowd parted for her and she stopped just next to where the platinum-haired man knelt. She crouched and crossed her arms on her knees, making the cuffs she wore on each wrist shine. ¡°There¡¯s no hope for him, you know? Crushed ribs, concussion, internal bleeding¡­ the only way he¡¯ll live is if he gets to a hospital, right now.¡±

    The man grit his teeth. ¡°Then take him to the hospital! You can do it, can¡¯t you? I know you can fly so, please! Please, save him.¡±

    Seraphim stood and looked down at him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°William. William Salle.¡±

    ¡°William, is it? Well, I¡¯ve got some advice for you. That compassion of yours? Get rid of it. It¡¯ll get you killed.¡± She turned on her heel and went back to her spot next to Nautilus. Once again, the crowd parted for her.

    Graham sighed. ¡°Thank god. I thought she was gonna kill him, too.¡±

    She said something to Nautilus, then took to the air and flew off. Nautilus stepped forward, clasping his hands behind him. ¡°I will now explain why you¡¯re here.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You will all take part in a survival game that we¡¯ve set up. The only way to win, and leave this place, is to become a Seeker and escape.¡±

    He waved a hand and several weapons flew out of the woods behind him and settled on the ground before the group. ¡°You may use these to defend yourselves. Of course, few of the things that live here can be defeated with simple weapons,¡± he said, his grin not covered by his hood. ¡°We¡¯ve placed valuable resources at certain locations that will help you become stronger. It¡¯s up to you to acquire them.¡±

    He stepped back into the shadows. ¡°Good luck.¡± He vanished.

    Graham fell down, grunting from the sudden impact. ¡°What? The barrier is gone.¡± He sat up and swished his hands through the air. ¡°Yep. Gone.¡± He looked at the group. William seemed to have given up on saving the other man and had moved to rejoin the group. A young-looking guy with black hair had picked up one of the weapons, a sword. Others were arguing with each other about what to do and the crying girl had stopped crying, instead covering her mouth with a hand and staring at what would soon be a corpse.

    Graham frowned. ¡°Fifte¡ªFourteen people, but only five weapons?¡± Including the sword the young man was holding, there was a spear, a dagger, a mace and¡ªof all things¡ªa shield! ¡°A shield? That¡¯s not a weapon. How are you supposed to defend yourself with a shield?¡±

    He blinked and furrowed his brow. ¡°Well, the whole point of a shield is defense¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯d be very useful.¡±

    Others began picking up the weapons and arguments broke out. Nobody wanted to go without a weapon, but they couldn¡¯t all have one. William was trying to calm everyone down, but they weren¡¯t listening. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here,¡± Graham thought, ¡°Not with these people. I¡¯d probably have better chances on my own.¡± He eyed the weapons. ¡°Besides, I think Nautilus was telling the truth when he said the weapons wouldn¡¯t be that useful. I¡¯d rather get a headstart on whatever those resources are.¡±

    Course decided, he snuck off into the trees, heading toward the sun.

    <hr>

    He moved through the trees carefully, head swiveling constantly in search of threats. Sunlight streamed down through the canopy, dappling the brush and the forest floor with light. It certainly didn¡¯t give the impression of a dangerous forest. But Graham wouldn¡¯t be fooled. Every once in a while, he could hear things moving; large things.

    ¡°If this were a game, the ¡®resources¡¯ would probably be in special locations. Or maybe guarded by a mini-boss. I probably can¡¯t deal with any of the monsters living here¡­ I should find somewhere higher so I can get an idea of the area.¡±

    He¡¯d just begun heading toward a hill he could see in the distance when something grabbed his ankle, tripping him. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking back at his ankle. ¡°What the fuck!?¡± It was a vine or tentacle or something. He frantically pulled his leg away, trying to free himself. ¡°Leggo, you son of a¡ªwhoa!¡± It suddenly started pulling him along, dragging him through the brush.

    Graham grabbed onto a tree root, holding for dear life. The vine pulled harder and Graham shouted in pain. ¡°It¡¯s gonna pull my fucking leg off! I gotta do something!¡± But what could he do? The only free limb was his other leg; his arms were tied up with holding onto the root and he didn¡¯t dare let go, even with just one. He grit his teeth and started kicking off the shoe of the captured leg. ¡°If I can get the shoe off, the vine should slip off with my sock!¡±

    The shoe was coming loose and the vine was slipping. Graham smiled, relief spreading through him. ¡°Just a bit more, come on!¡± A second vine appeared! It tried to wrap around his free leg. ¡°No! No, no, fuck no!¡± He flailed his leg so it wouldn¡¯t be caught and pulled harder on the root he was holding. Finally, his foot came free and he scrambled away on hands and knees.

    The vine reached out for him again but he found a rock and smashed it down, cutting the thrice-damned thing. There was a screech in the distance and the vines withdrew. Graham didn¡¯t waste time and started running. ¡°The fuck if I¡¯m stayin¡¯ around here!¡±

    He hobbled through the woods in his one shoe, wincing when he stepped on rocks or gnarled roots. A babbling brook came into sight and Graham slowed down. He hunched over, hands on his knees to catch his breath. ¡°Well, that was awful.¡± He went to the water and splashed his face. ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡±

    He¡¯d nearly died and he hadn¡¯t even seen what was trying to kill him. Was it some kind of plant? This place had killer plants, too?! He stared at his wavering reflection, his blue eyes bloodshot, blond hair mussed, and cheeks smeared with dirt. ¡°Should I have stayed with the group? If there were someone else with me, they could cut the vine pretty quick.¡± He frowned, splashing more water on his face and scrubbing the dirt away. ¡°Plus, they had weapons. Maybe I underestimated how useful they¡¯d be?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    But it was already too late to do anything about that. He¡¯d fled in some random direction from the vine thing and now he didn¡¯t know where he was. He¡¯d never find his way back. Well, maybe he could retrace his steps, but that would just take him back to the vine thing. No thanks.

    ¡°Ah, well. What¡¯s done is done. I¡¯ll just have to deal with it,¡± he thought, standing. He winced, pulling up his shoeless right foot. There were a few spots where the skin was punctured and bleeding slowly. ¡°God damn it! I have to do something about a shoe, too!¡±

    He sat down and started washing it off in the brook. After that was done, he found a long stick to lean on and limped upstream to look for something to throw together a new shoe. Hell, he¡¯d be fine if it ended up even vaguely shoe-like.

    He was in luck. Just minutes later, he found a tree with large leathery leaves. He grinned. ¡°I can layer these up and strap them to my foot with some grass or something.¡± With his stick, he knocked down a dozen of the low-hanging leaves and fashioned his makeshift shoe.

    Stamping the ground, he smiled. ¡°This¡¯ll work.¡±

    Next course of action was to get to a hill. There was one on the other side of the brook, though he didn¡¯t know if it was the same one he¡¯d been heading to earlier or if it was a different one. It didn¡¯t really matter to him; he just wanted to get a lay of the land.

    He stared at the water, leaning on his stick. ¡°I need to find a place to cross. Don¡¯t want my new shoe to fall apart in the water.¡± Also, he wasn¡¯t willing to wade in when there might be something like the vine monster living there. Drowning to death wasn¡¯t high on his to-do list. It wasn¡¯t on the list at all.

    He continued walking upstream, looking for a fallen tree or some rocks he could hop across. He heard a rhythmic thumping in the distance and stopped, hunching down near a tree. ¡°Alright, just stay calm. Whatever it is doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re here, Graham. Calm.¡± He took deep breaths, slow and silent, and worked to bring his beating heart back to its normal rate.

    The sound was coming from further into the trees on the same side of the brook as him. That was bad, cause it limited his options in running away. If he could just get across the water, he¡¯d be much safer, having it between him and whatever was out there. He peeked around the trunk, curious if he could see what had made the noise.

    It was large with off-white spikes all over its back. It looked like an oversized bear, and bears were big enough to begin with! The spiny bear paused and sniffed at the air. Graham¡¯s eyes widened and he pulled his head back out of its sight. ¡°Holy shit, that thing could probably bite me in half!¡± he thought.

    The thumping continued and it was getting closer. Sweat began to bead on Graham¡¯s forehead. He shut his eyes tight as he heard its hoarse breaths. ¡°I have to do something. I can¡¯t stay here.¡± The only useful thing he had at the moment was his pepper spray. But there was no telling if he¡¯d actually be able to hit its eyes before it killed him. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out anyway. If it really came down to a confrontation, he¡¯d like to have the option at least.

    His eyes flicked to the water. ¡°Maybe I can sneak in and let the brook carry me away? Anything that¡¯s in there can¡¯t be worse than that thing.¡± He flattened himself against the ground, ensuring he was hidden by the tall grass and started crawling to the brook. He¡¯d nearly made it to the edge when his arm landed on a stick. It snapped, making a small cracking sound. Graham tensed and held his breath. ¡°Surely the water drowned out the sound?¡±

    A second passed, then another. ¡°Am I safe?¡± he thought. The bear roared. Graham shivered in fright and jumped up, launching himself into the Brook and wading across as fast as he could. The bear roared again, obviously noticing him, and began its chase.

    Graham made it out of the brook and sprinted for the hill. ¡°Bears have stubby legs, so they can¡¯t run downhill. If I can get the bear up there, it won¡¯t be able to follow me back down!¡± he thought. The bear splashed through the water, catching up quick. Graham glanced over his shoulder, blanched, and ran even faster, making sure to run through areas with dense trees. The bear was too big to fit and had to go around, giving Graham precious time to get ahead.

    He reached the hill and began his climb. It was a relatively steep incline and slowed him down quite a bit. He¡¯d made it up halfway, using the trees that grew on the hill to pull himself up faster, when the bear reached the foot of the hill. It roared horribly and began its own ascent. Graham could see little animals flitting away in fear of drawing the bear¡¯s attention on themselves. ¡°You bastards! You guys should be the ones getting chased!¡±

    The bear was getting closer, so he started throwing rocks down as he climbed or purposely stepping on loose dirt too hard to send it tumbling down. Of course, this just made the bear angrier. Graham came to an incline too steep to scale; an overhang that jutted out above him by a couple meters. He¡¯d have to go around. To the right, there was a path that looked like it might lead him to the top. The ground on the path was much more level, so he could go faster.

    Looking down, the bear struggled with loose dirt crumbling beneath its weight. It roared furiously, fixing Graham with a glare that promised death. Seeing a chance to catch his breath, he stopped and leaned against a tree. ¡°Hah! Can¡¯t get up here, can you, fatass?!¡±

    His foot hurt and his hands stung. The leaf shoe was in tatters and barely hanging on and his hands were covered in scrapes from roughly gripping bark. His muscles were starting to ache as well, and it was getting harder to catch his breath. He sighed. ¡°This is way more intense than my evening runs. I really need to rest soon. And have some food.¡± The granola bar he¡¯d eaten a few hours earlier wasn¡¯t going to cut it.

    The sound of wood cracking and leaves rustling brought him back to reality. Graham¡¯s eyes widened as the bear began using the trees to pull itself up. Some of the trees couldn¡¯t handle the burden and snapped or fell down, but it was starting to make progress and it had a hungry glimmer in its eyes.

    Graham took off down the path, cursing himself for letting his guard down when he could¡¯ve used that time to get further away. Just as he was rounding a bend, he caught the bear pulling itself up onto the path out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Nononono! C¡¯mon, where¡¯s the way up!?¡±

    He considered just going back down the hill now, instead of trying to make it to the top, but decided against it. ¡°It¡¯s too steep here. If it tries to follow me, it¡¯ll probably end up rolling down on top of me! Not a good idea.¡±

    He could easily picture the bear tumbling down the hill and landing on him spikes first. He¡¯d be pierced by dozens at the same time and shredded to bits.

    Further down the path, the ledge lowered until it was as tall as Graham. If he had more time, he¡¯d be able to pull himself up here. A tree in front of him caught his eye. ¡°It¡¯s forked! I could probably use that as a stepping stone to get up on the ledge!¡± He laughed and sped toward it.

    Before he reached it, something tremendously heavy slammed into his back, knocking him down. The fall knocked the wind out of him, his breath coming in gasps. He struggled to prop himself up on his elbows. A giant paw slammed down next to him, sinking into the soil, and he heard a low growl in his ear.

    Graham froze, still facing the ground. The only thing he could think of was how afraid he was. The bear¡¯s presence was palpable, hovering over him. It brought its snout down next to his shoulder and nudged him, rolling him over.

    Graham stared into the face of the beast. Its sharp yellowed teeth, bloodshot eyes, the horrid breath, they all came together to paint a horrid picture of death. Tears welled in Graham¡¯s eyes as he thought back on his life and how he¡¯d wasted it. ¡°Shit, why does it have to end here? I haven¡¯t done anything with myself. The last time I had a girlfriend was in highschool and she dumped me. My parents wanted me to start my own business and even gave me starting capital, but somehow I fucked it up. Now I just get by selling items in video games and living in a shit apartment! It¡¯s pathetic!¡± He choked out a sob. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die here. Not like this.¡±

    The bear roared and reared back its head, maw opened wide, dripping saliva on Graham¡¯s face. He flinched as a drop fell in his eye. It was then that Graham remembered the pepper spray. It was still in his hand. As fast as he could, he brought his hand up and sprayed the beast. Much of it went into its mouth, but a fine mist built up around its face and got in its eyes.

    It howled and backed up, rubbing its face on the ground. Graham rolled out from under it and stepped on its head, intending to use it to scale the ledge. Surprisingly, the bear¡¯s head shot up and launched Graham into the air, where he landed safely atop the ledge.

    The bear flailed and its body pushed into the ledge, crushing through the dirt with its weight. One of the spikes got close enough and managed to scratch Graham¡¯s thigh. He hissed through his teeth and used the rest of his stamina to roll away from the edge.

    Dirt crumbled and rolled down the hill as the bear flailed again and fell off the path. Graham couldn¡¯t see what was happening, but he heard trees breaking and falling to the ground. ¡°Serves him right!¡± he thought. He smiled and began to giggle uncontrollably. ¡°I really survived that,¡± he whispered to the ground. There was a loud crash and the bear howled. Graham laughed harder. After he regained his breath, he pushed himself up. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta see it. I wanna see the look of defeat on that bastard¡¯s face!¡±

    He took a step and winced, placing a hand over the cut on his thigh. ¡°Damn, not even a day out here and I¡¯m already in this state!¡± Regardless, he pressed on, carefully peering over the edge. The bear was on its back struggling. ¡°Hahaha! Its spikes are stuck!¡±

    He picked up a rock and tossed it at the helpless beast. ¡°Hey, fuck you, bear! Why don¡¯t you come get me, now?!¡± He tossed a few more¡ªrocks and insults¡ªbefore he became tired. ¡°I really should¡­¡± He coughed and spit on the ground. ¡°Should, uh, get some rest.¡±

    Suddenly, an icy feeling ran down his spine. He looked down warily. The bear had managed to right itself and was acting strangely. It glared at him and the spikes on its back pointed forward. It lowered its front to the ground, like a lion about to pounce.

    Graham paled. ¡°No. No, it can¡¯t do that! That¡¯s just not¡ª¡±

    The spikes on the bear¡¯s back launched upward like a wall of arrows. No matter how fast he ran, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. Still, he tried. He ran, even as the spikes whistled down upon him. One struck him in the shoulder, another in the small of his back. The impacts pushed him the ground. He wheezed as the pain hit him and curled up into a ball. For a few seconds, thumps rang out in staccato and the ground was littered with sharp white stakes.

    Graham opened his eyes and spit out the blood gathering in his mouth. His vision was blurry and it was hard to think. Ahead of him, a large tree stood, blue leaves and black bark. He reached out for it, his hand trembling. ¡°If I¡¯m gonna die¡­ at least let it be under that tree. I¡¯d be okay with that¡­¡±

    His fingers dug into the dirt and pulled him forward. Despite the pain at every movement, every breath, he crawled forward. It was only a little further and he¡¯d be in the shade. Perhaps his body would provide nutrients for that tree to keep living. Somehow that appealed to him. It was poetic, or something.

    His fingers touched a black root. His eyes closed.

 Chapter 3: Little Blue

    Little Blue

    Whoever said dogs were a man¡¯s best friend? My vote¡¯s on monkeys.

    . . . . .

    He awoke to throbbing pain in his back. The chirping of crickets filled his ears, an ode to the night. ¡°Guess I¡¯m alive?¡± he thought. That was good. It was always preferable to be alive than dead. He shifted his arms and cringed, gasping with pain. ¡°And I guess those spikes are still in me.¡± He pressed his forehead against the grass as he slowed his breathing.

    Clenching his eyes and gritting his teeth, he slowly reached back, his hands searching. He cried out as they found purchase on the spike that was precariously close to a kidney. Trembling, they closed around it and pulled. Tears welled in his eyes and dripped off his nose, landing on a blade of grass. He took a deep breath, braced himself, and pulled it all the way out. His scream echoed in the night.

    The spike tumbled to the ground as his hands fell limp to his sides. He lay there, waiting for the pain to fade. Warm blood welled up from the newly unobstructed wound. There was still one more to deal with.

    Minutes passed, in which he worked up his courage for the second go. He reached, hesitant of the coming pain but resolute in his task. However, due to its position in his shoulder, he couldn¡¯t quite grasp it. It was too awkward.

    ¡°God. Fucking¡­¡± He sighed and pushed himself up, snarling viciously, as if to frighten the pain away. It didn¡¯t work. Now upright, he leaned his side against the tree, careful not to bump his painful new ¡®accessory¡¯.

    ¡°O-ho-ho fuck, I want to go home.¡± He rested his eyes for a bit, doing his best not to move. When he was still like this, the pain was almost bearable. Still, he couldn¡¯t remain like that forever. Particularly not when something dropped from the tree and landed in front of him.

    Thump.

    Graham flinched, sending pangs through him. The moon gave enough light to see, revealing a small blue monkey. Graham blinked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s unexpected. I hope this monkey doesn¡¯t want to kill me.¡±

    It was about the size of a puppy with big watery eyes. The fur on its chest and arms was a darker blue than the rest of it. Graham lifted his hands, proving they were empty. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hurt you, little guy.¡± He gulped. ¡°So, please don¡¯t hurt me, alright?¡±

    The monkey picked up the spike he¡¯d pulled out, sniffing the blood on the tip. It tossed the spike away and circled Graham, looking at the other spike in his shoulder. Graham pursed his lips, shifting to the side to keep the monkey away from the spike. ¡°That¡¯s not a toy, so don¡¯t go touching it, alright?¡±

    The monkey tilted its head, making gibbering sounds. It jumped forth, landing on Graham¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey, quit it!¡± Graham shouted. It ignored him, grabbing the spike and wrenching it out. Graham cried out again as the spike scraped against torn muscle and skin. He collapsed into a heap, whimpering.

    The monkey turned the bloody spike over in its hands, then tossed it with the other one. With a leap, it ascended the tree. Graham reached over to his shoulder, covering the wound with a hand. He took it away and stared at the blood adhering to it, almost black in the darkness. He sighed. ¡°At least it¡¯s out. It could¡¯ve been a little gentler, though.¡±

    The monkey dropped back down, scrambling over to Graham. It held two fruits and handed one to him; rather, shoved it in his face. Graham propped himself up and took the fruit. Without pause, he bit into it, juices dripping down his chin. ¡°Oh God, that¡¯s good.¡± It was sweet and refreshing and it spread a gentle coolness through his body that dulled the pain. He finished it off in a few bites and licked his lips.

    The monkey hopped up and down, chirping incessantly and proffering the second fruit. ¡°That¡¯s for me, too?¡± Graham asked, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re not so bad, little guy. I¡¯ll call you Little Blue. How¡¯s that?¡±

    Little Blue shoved the fruit into Graham¡¯s hands, then gestured with his hands next to his mouth, chomping his teeth together.

    Graham laughed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll eat.¡± He polished it off in seconds. Little Blue clapped his hands and grabbed Graham¡¯s collar. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± He dragged Graham to the tree¡¯s trunk and began climbing up with him! Little Blue easily leapt from branch to branch, Graham swinging behind him.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Graham shouted. He grunted as he smacked into a branch, then again, and again. Finally, Little Blue stopped, pulling Graham into a nook where three branches split. Graham grabbed onto one of the branches and spit out a leaf. He stared at Little Blue with wide eyes. ¡°How fucking strong are you?¡±

    The monkey scampered off and came back with more of the fruit. Seeing no reason to turn it down, Graham ate it. But this time, he didn¡¯t feel a cool feeling. This time it was hot. His face was burning up and his wounds became itchy. The world became hazy and his eyelids heavy. He slept...

    <hr>

    Sunlight peeked through the trees, landing on Graham¡¯s closed eyelids. Graham covered his face with an arm as his eyes fluttered open. He let his eyes adjust to the light, looked around, then tensed up, grabbing the branch he was leaning against, tight. ¡°I¡¯m in a tree?¡± he thought. It was surprisingly high. The ground was obscured by the leaves and branches below. Not far away from him, Little Blue was draped over a small branch, snoring away.

    Graham looked down again. ¡°That little guy carried me all the way up here? Shit.¡± He leaned back. ¡°I need to get down.¡± Carefully, he traversed the maze of branches until he was on the ground. It was only after he¡¯d descended that he noticed.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t hurt at all!¡± He¡¯d been impaled by spikes yesterday, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain. Investigating with his hands revealed that there was certainly dried blood and holes in his clothes where he¡¯d been injured but no actual wounds. The cut on his thigh had closed up as well and his foot no longer hurt. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    Little Blue dropped from the tree to his shoulder, offering a fruit. Now that it was daylight, Graham could actually make out its appearance; purple, shiny, and shaped like a pear. He took it, thanked the monkey, polished it on his shirt, and took a bite, enjoying the refreshing coolness. The flesh of the fruit was blue like the sky. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± He looked at Little Blue. ¡°This fruit can heal wounds! That¡¯s incredible!¡±

    Little Blue looked at him curiously, then hopped on one of the low branches and began grooming himself. Graham shook his head. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect so much from a monkey.¡± He took another bite and licked the juice off his lips. ¡°But still, this¡¯ll be incredibly useful! I should bring some with me.¡±

    The fruits all grew pretty high up on the tree. He¡¯d have to climb back up to get more. ¡°Later,¡± he said, moving to the edge of the hill and looking out over the sea of trees, tinted orange by morning light. ¡°Nice view. Oh! Right. That¡¯s what I came up here for.¡±

    He oriented himself to the rising sun. ¡°The sun rises in the East, which means¡­ left must be North, right South, and West to my back. Right?¡± He chewed his lip, rubbing a finger on the smooth skin of his half-eaten breakfast. He shrugged and took another bite. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s around. Any landmarks?¡±

    To what he assumed was the North, there were three things of note. A tall, black tower and, beyond that, some kind of bog or marsh. The bog had many pools of water with patches of land here and there and little grass paths between. The air shimmered, visible even from the distance.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Past the bog was a giant cliff. He spun and looked in the other directions. The cliff continued in a circle surrounding the forest and the bog. ¡°Are we in some kind of¡­ bowl?¡± With huge cliffs on all sides, there wasn¡¯t any easy way out. ¡°I guess they chose this location to make it harder to escape¡­¡±

    The only real exit was a small opening past the bog. A crack in the bowl, as it were. ¡°Still, that¡¯s probably three or four days¡¯ walk from here.¡± Ah, well. At least he knew where he¡¯d need to go to escape. Climbing the cliffs didn¡¯t seem possible, considering their immense height. Not to mention, there were small dots flying around them. He couldn¡¯t quite tell from the distance, but they looked like large bats. They roosted on the edges and dug into cracks in the rock, likely looking for food.

    ¡°What are the chances they knock off anyone who tries to climb?¡± he wondered. He went back to checking the surroundings. To the East, there was a waterfall pouring over the edge of the bowl with a rainbow formed in the mist at the base. West was more hilly and had a tall rocky mountain. It was slightly taller than the surrounding cliffs and snow gathered atop the peak.

    The South didn¡¯t have anything of note, as it was closest to the hill he was standing on. He could make out what appeared to be a clearing, possibly the place where he¡¯d started, but it was hard to tell.

    ¡°Alright. So, resources. I think this tree might be one of them. I mean, fruits that can heal wounds? Definitely useful. Still, I can¡¯t use that to kill the bear that attacked me. I need to find a scripture. I¡¯ll need it to begin purification.¡±

    The first stage of Seeking was to purify the body. When you eat, there are inevitably portions of the food that your body doesn¡¯t need or can¡¯t use. Usually, these ¡®impurities¡¯ are disposed of by the body, but it¡¯s not perfect. It doesn¡¯t get them all. The remaining impurities spread throughout the body, causing blockages and preventing Qi from flowing.

    So, in order to remove them completely, you had to use an external force. A scripture was a manual of sorts. They contained methods to purify the body and allow the Qi to flow freely. The ability to utilize your Qi, your energy, is what separated mortals from Seekers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to that tower,¡± he said. ¡°That seems like the most likely place that they¡¯d hide a scripture.¡± The tower was quite tall, towering over the surrounding trees, as a tower is wont to do. It was thicker at the base and tapered toward the top, roofed by an equally black cone. There were no windows to break up the stony facade.

    ¡°Yep. If this were a video game, there¡¯d definitely be something of interest in there. I wonder if those two built it, or if it was there from the start?¡± He narrowed his eyes, then shrugged. Turning, he headed to the tree¡ªintending to climb it and gather some fruit¡ªwhen he noticed that there was already a small pile on the ground.

    He grinned at Little Blue, who was hanging from a low branch by his tail. ¡°You¡¯re a real pal, y¡¯know?¡± He gathered up the three fruits and shoved them in his pockets. Rubbing his chin, he thought, ¡°I¡¯ll need some kind of weapon, too. Something that can at least slow down that bear.¡± He looked down. ¡°I¡¯ll need to fix up my leaf-shoe, as well.¡±

    He glanced over at the patch of grass covered in bone spikes. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll do.¡±

    <hr>

    Armed with several spikes he¡¯d tucked into the waist of his pants, a fixed leaf-shoe, some fruits, an empty canister of pepper spray, his keys, and his hole-y phone, he said his goodbyes to Little Blue. He scratched the little guy¡¯s head. ¡°It was good knowing you. You¡¯ve been a better friend than most I¡¯ve had.¡±

    Little Blue blinked and patted Graham¡¯s hand, then climbed up on his shoulder and began scratching Graham¡¯s head. Graham chuckled and crouched, setting the monkey on the ground. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to go now. Wish me luck.¡±

    Little Blue nodded; Graham quirked a brow. ¡°Weird. Coincidence?¡± He shrugged and set off down the hill, heading for the Blackstone Tower. That¡¯s what he¡¯d decided to call it. Cool, right?

    Now that he knew what to look for and where to look, he could see the tower through the openings in the canopy. He set forth at a brisk pace, trying to move quickly but also staying aware of his surroundings. He didn¡¯t want that fucking bear to sneak up on him. God forbid.

    He happened upon a pond and stopped to get a drink. It was then that he noticed something disturbing. ¡°Pawprints. And they¡¯re big, too.¡± They led to and away from the pond, sunk deep into the dirt¡ªwhatever left them was heavy.

    Graham rubbed his forehead, sighing. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it be the bear. I don¡¯t ever want to see that thing again.¡± He looked up, checking on the direction of the tower. It matched up with the footprints. ¡°Fuck!¡± Birds scattered from trees and Graham slapped a hand over his mouth. ¡°Stupid! I can¡¯t just yell out like that! I¡¯ll attract something.¡±

    He took a moment to calm himself, then considered his options. ¡°I have to get to the tower. It¡¯s the only real landmark I can see from down here. I could take a detour, but that wouldn¡¯t necessarily ensure that I don¡¯t meet something scary.¡± He paced in front of the pond. ¡°It¡¯d probably be better to get to the tower as quick as possible.¡±

    He looked at the prints. He wasn¡¯t an expert by any means, but they looked a lot like bear prints. ¡°Chances are, if I go straight, I¡¯ll run into the bear again. But maybe that¡¯s not such a bad thing? It doesn¡¯t have its spikes anymore, I do. Plus, a known enemy is better than an unknown. I can kind of predict what it¡¯ll do.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yeah, I should be able to handle the bear. Let¡¯s go straight.¡±

    That decided, he drank some more from the pond and did a cursory search for something he could use as a canteen. He didn¡¯t find anything. Shrugging, he set off again. Since he was heading the same way as the tracks, he couldn¡¯t help but keep an eye on them. So, when they got deeper, as if the bear began running, his curiosity got the better of him. He went to check it out, despite the fact that it deviated somewhat from the path.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just check it out real quick. If I hear anything that sounds even remotely like the bear, I¡¯ll turn back.¡± Following the agitated prints, he came across the remains of an animal. It appeared to be the skeleton of a deer, though it had curly horns rather than antlers. It was stained with red, picked clean somewhat recently. Many branches in the area were snapped and the ground was tossed up. ¡°I guess the bear caught it here? It must have struggled.¡±

    He crouched down near the carcass and sniffed. ¡°Ugh, smells awful. Can¡¯t really tell how long it¡¯s been here¡­ Probably since last night.¡± The bear may have been forced to give up on him, but it would still be hungry. ¡°Still, it¡¯s good to know there are deer¡­-like things here. I¡¯m not sure I could survive entirely on fruit. Not that I know how to hunt, or anything.¡±

    He shrugged and stood, closing his eyes to listen. ¡°I don¡¯t hear the bear. Guess I¡¯ll keep going?¡± A rustling sound came from his left and he leapt behind a tree. ¡°Y¡¯know, if that¡¯s the bear, maybe I deserve to die? Why the fuck did I follow the tracks?¡± He palmed one of the spikes and held it in front of him. It didn¡¯t have an edge but the point was sharp. He knew that first-hand.

    He spotted where the bushes were rustling. A slender brown head with curly horns peeked out. ¡°Another one of those deer?¡± It crept out slowly, approaching the carcass. Graham crouched, slinking into the brush behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can trust its appearance. Little Blue was tiny, but he could lift me up a tree with one hand. This deer might be unexpectedly powerful.¡±

    Slowly, he began to make his way through the brush back to his original path. A loud crunching sound nearly stopped his heart. He looked back and his jaw fell. ¡°It¡¯s eating the bones! What the fuck!?¡± Snap, crack, crunch, it bit off bones and chewed them to tiny pieces. Graham shivered and mentally pat himself on the back for not getting involved with that thing. He was extra careful to not step on any sticks that might alert it to his presence.

    Hours passed and the tower grew larger in his sight. ¡°Maybe another 10 or so hours and I¡¯ll be there. But it¡¯s getting dark. I should find somewhere to stay tonight.¡± Who knew what kind of things came out during the night, especially considering he¡¯d met the fatass bear and the creepy deer in daytime.

    Further ahead, he came across a ravine, preventing him from continuing. He stopped at the edge and kicked a rock down, watching it bounce against the steep side and fall into a dried up streambed. ¡°Alright, maybe 10 hours was optimistic. I¡¯ll have to find a way around. I don¡¯t trust my ability to climb back out of there.¡±

    Graham flinched as a shout broke the silence. It was followed by a familiar roar. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± Graham said. Down in the ravine, a man was being chased by the fucking bear! Graham sighed. ¡°Thank God it¡¯s down there.¡± He was just about to duck so the bear wouldn¡¯t see him, when¡­

    ¡°Hey, you! A little help!?¡± the fleeing man shouted. Graham grimaced. ¡°Fuck, why¡¯d he have to see me?¡± The man and the bear were getting closer and it was apparent that the bear would soon outpace him. If Graham didn¡¯t do something, the man would die. But if he did, there was a chance he¡¯d die, too.

    Graham frowned as he rubbed a finger on the rough surface of the spike he held. ¡°Damn it. What to do?"

 Chapter 4: Orion

    Orion

    Sometimes I think I¡¯m too good a person.

    . . . . .

    Graham glared at his feet, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. The bear roared. ¡°Fuck, alright!¡± His eyes swam and landed on a rock the size of a bowling ball. He ran over and hefted it into his arms, groaning from the effort, then watched as the two below got closer. ¡°Gotta time this right,¡± he thought.

    He drew a mental line at a slight bend in the streambed and waited. The second the man crossed the line, Graham tossed the rock. It tumbled down the hillside and smacked into the side of the bear, knocking it over.

    ¡°Come on! Climb up!¡± Graham shouted. The man didn¡¯t waste time. He charged up at full speed, then began pulling himself up on hands and knees when his momentum dissipated.

    Graham grabbed onto the trunk of a tree and lowered himself, slowly, reaching out a hand. His eyes widened. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this the guy Nautilus brought back on his first trip?¡± The man was tall and muscular, with short red hair and a shield strapped to his back. Graham grimaced. Now that he recognized him, the situation felt more real, more personal. ¡°This guy better not die, or I¡¯m going to feel guilty about it for who knows how long!¡±

    ¡°Grab my hand!¡± he yelled. The large man had nearly made it, but a roar told them both that the bear wasn¡¯t out of the game. Growing desperate, the man leapt on a jutting boulder, but it came loose and started rolling backward.

    The man shouted and rolled off, but he couldn¡¯t find purchase on the hill and began sliding down. ¡°Help!¡± he yelled.

    Graham cursed and looked between the man and the bear. ¡°Oh, fuck, why am I doing this?¡± He let go of the tree and slid down. Into the ravine with the bear. The ravine he couldn¡¯t climb out of. Not his best idea.

    He made sure to end up on the other side of the bear. ¡°It¡¯ll have to choose one of us to focus on, which might give us a chance¡­ maybe.¡± The man and Graham both stood, each on opposite sides of the bear. Their eyes met. ¡°My name¡¯s Graham!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯m Orion!¡± the man replied, nodding.

    The bear reared up on its hind legs, bringing their attention back to it. Graham pulled out a second spike so he had one in both hands. Orion pulled the shield off his back. The bear glanced at one man, then the other. Finally, it roared and attacked Graham.

    ¡°Of course! It must be holding a grudge or something!¡± Graham thought. The floor of the ravine was narrow, meaning there wasn¡¯t much room to maneuver. Graham ran up the hill opposite the one he¡¯d descended and the bear chased him. Once his momentum gave out, he turned and jumped on top of the bear!

    Luckily, the bear had jettisoned all its spikes yesterday. He stumbled when he landed on the bear¡¯s back, unable to gain stable footing. He could only cling desperately to its fur. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t even stab the beast with one of the spikes he was holding.

    Orion yelled and charged the bear, slamming into its side with the shield. The bear actually reeled back from the blow, knocking Graham to the ground. He rolled away, grimacing. ¡°I knew the shield was a bad choice! You should¡¯ve picked the sword!¡± The same charge would have been so much more effective!

    Graham and Orion were now on the same side of the bear. Orion helped him up and they faced the beast. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Orion asked.

    Graham watched the bear stand and paw at the ground, snorting noisily. ¡°That depends. How strong are you?¡±

    Orion grinned. ¡°Pretty damn strong.¡±

    Graham chuckled. ¡°Alright. When it charges, I want you to stop it. While its dazed, I¡¯ll take out its eyes.¡± He tossed a spike up, nearly fumbled it, and blushed. He avoided Orion¡¯s eyes, coughing into a hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work.¡±

    Orion sighed. ¡°Right. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± He took a place in front of Graham as the bear howled and charged. It shook the ground with its massive weight. Orion set his shield, bracing with his shoulder and leaning forward. Graham skipped back and to the side a few steps.

    He took a deep breath. ¡°Focus. As soon as it hits him, charge in and stab it in the eyes.¡± He quickly pictured the scene: Orion is hit and knocked back; the bear is dazed. Graham runs in, heroically, and stabs a spike in so hard it goes straight into the beast¡¯s brain and kills it. Then he wakes up from this ridiculous dream and plays Barren Expanse.

    He frowned and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not quite right.¡±

    The bear slammed into Orion with a great impact, sending him skidding back, his feet carving furrows into the ground. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Now!¡± He charged and stabbed forward with both spikes. The beast¡¯s legs were trembling; its head hanging low. All he had to do was not miss!

    Graham shouted in triumph and the bear bucked its head, knocking him away. Even as he fell, he was grinning. ¡°I fucking did it! I felt the spike go in!¡±

    The beast roared, swiping its head side to side, trying to get the spike out of its eye. The spike. Graham glanced at his hand, where a spike still lay. He paled. ¡°I only got one eye!¡± He reached for the waist of his pants to arm himself with another spike, but found it empty. The spikes had fallen out when he was knocked away.

    The bear finally managed to remove the spike. Blood and bits of eyeball decorated the now-empty socket. Its one-eyed gaze fell upon Graham, sharp as any dagger. He held his only remaining spike before him and tried to get up, but his legs gave out. His breath came in ragged gasps and he suddenly noticed that sweat soaked his clothes. His jaw fell. ¡°I can¡¯t stand.¡±

    The bear approached, step by step. Graham looked back. ¡°Orion! Orion! I need help!¡± he called. But Orion was huddled in a ball and cradling his arm. It was turning a nasty shade of purple and it seemed he was having trouble breathing. ¡°Shit, did he break his arm?!¡±

    Graham pushed himself backward in the dirt. He snorted. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this familiar?¡± He grit his teeth and glared at the bear. ¡°You know what? Fuck you!¡± He started throwing everything in the vicinity at the bear; his spike, the empty pepper-spray, his broken phone, clods of dirt and rocks¡­

    Nothing fazed it.

    The bear towered over Graham, huffing its rancid breath in his face. Graham resolved he wouldn¡¯t cry this time. He¡¯d come down here to help someone. To save a life! Even if he¡¯d failed, it was something to be proud of. The bear opened its jaws and lunged. Something metallic cut through the air and smacked it right in the nose!

    The bear backed up and roared. Graham twisted and looked at Orion. He stood there, panting with his uninjured arm outstretched, sans shield. Graham grinned. ¡°You bastard! I thought I was done for!¡±

    Orion chuckled. ¡°Hey, so did I. I was sure I¡¯d miss.¡± Before the bear could resume its attack, a great explosion shook the Earth. It wasn¡¯t visible down in the ravine, but the corona of light it painted on the clouds was bright as the sun. The shockwave passed over them like a punch to the gut and the bear yelped, turned tail, and ran away.

    Graham and Orion stared, dishevelled, at the fleeing beast.

    <hr>

    Atop the cliff face to the North, near the pass that lead out of the bowl, sat a small building. A simple wooden hut, hidden by trees. Seraphim approached through the trees, a hand on her sword. She stopped just ten feet before the hut and partially unsheathed her weapon, tapping the pommel against the air.

    An opalescent barrier appeared, shimmering waves running on its surface. It pulled away, creating an opening large enough for her to step through. She set her sword back in its sheath.

    The door opened for her and she strode through without pausing. Nautilus sat in a creaky rocking chair in the corner of the room, tapping his fingers together.

    He raised his head. ¡°Ah, Seraphim. So good to see you.¡±

    She rolled her eyes and went to the table at the center of the room. Light shafts from the only window lit up a map on weathered linen. It depicted the area of The Game. Dots of light moved about, hovering slightly above the map.

    She set her hands on the table and leaned forward to examine the map. ¡°So, how are things coming along?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Nautilus stood and approached the other side of the table. ¡°There is one large group here.¡± He pointed at a spot in the East, near the waterfall. ¡°And one other, smaller, group. The others have set off on their own.¡± He snickered. ¡°Fools.¡±

    ¡°Any deaths?¡±

    Nautilus cleared his throat. ¡°Besides the man you killed, one. A jittery woman that fled the first time she felt no one was looking.¡± He smiled. ¡°She met¡­ a horrible end.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about the large group,¡± Seraphim said.

    Nautilus rubbed his chin. ¡°Right. A group of six, led by that one you took a liking to¡ª¡±

    ¡°What? Took a liking to?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t recall? The one with the compassion?¡±

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You misunderstand. I only spoke to him because I saw potential. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t inflict myself with the presence of someone so deluded.¡±

    Nautilus coughed quietly. ¡°I see. His group seems to be following a stream that branches off from the lake at the base of the waterfall. I assume he¡¯ll arrive within a day or two.¡±

    ¡°Has anyone found a scripture, yet?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment, no.¡± His attention turned to two blips on the map near the tower. Then to another group of three, slightly more to the West. ¡°It seems they may soon, however.¡±

    Seraphim nodded and sighed. ¡°I hope it goes well, this time. Too many died last time. They can¡¯t be of use when they¡¯re dead.¡±

    Nautilus remained silent, fingers tapping against the waist of his robe. Seraphim furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s this one doing?¡± She pointed to a dot that was much farther to the North than the others. It was on the verge of entering the bog.

    Nautilus began to laugh heartily. A deep laugh from the belly. He leaned his elbows against the table, lowering his hooded head, and caught his breath. ¡°That one is my favorite... for the moment.¡± He chuckled once more. ¡°He thinks himself a Seeker already. So¡­ I saw fit to make things simpler for him, by making the way to the bog clear.¡±

    His shoulders shook with suppressed mirth. ¡°Oh, how I wish I could see his face when he gets there!¡±

    Seraphim huffed, crossing her arms. ¡°You¡¯re twisted, you know? Sending him right into the scaly arms of Gora.¡± She sighed. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m done here.¡± She headed for the door, but paused with her hand on the handle.

    ¡°This is the last one, Nautilus. If you purposefully lead any of the others to their deaths, there will be consequences.¡±

    Nautilus nodded, going back to his chair. Seraphim huffed and left.

    Below, in the bog, a tremendous explosion shook the Earth, sending smoke and debris billowing into the air. Nautilus howled with laughter. The blip near the bog was gone.

    <hr>

    Graham and Orion huddled together in a small cave Orion had noticed while fleeing from the bear. They were still at the bottom of the ravine. The cave was large enough for three or four people to lay down at once but the ceiling was low, forcing Orion to crouch to move around.

    Graham lay on the dirt, still gasping from the fight, and stared out the opening at the emerging stars. He rolled over on his back and eyed Orion. ¡°Well, thanks for saving me back there.¡±

    Orion shrugged then winced, cradling his arm. It was almost entirely purple by now. Graham frowned and pushed himself up. He dug through his pockets and pulled out a fruit. With a sigh, he tossed it to Orion. ¡°Eat that. It¡¯ll help.¡±

    Orion caught it with is good arm and examined the fruit. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll heal you. Though, it may take a few hours. Trust me, it works.¡±

    Orion looked him in the eye, then back to the fruit. He licked his lips and took a bite. His eyes widened and he wolfed the rest down. He sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten anything since I got here.¡±

    Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Seriously? It¡¯s our second day here!¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°How¡¯m I supposed to know what¡¯s safe to eat? I¡¯m not an outdoorsman or anything.¡± He was quiet a moment. ¡°Thanks for coming down to help me. You could¡¯ve just ignored me.¡±

    Graham crossed his arms behind his head and lay back. ¡°Believe me, I tried. I don¡¯t know, I guess watching someone die when I could¡¯ve done something doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Never knew I was such a good person.¡± He sat up. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you get some sleep. You¡¯ll probably heal faster. I¡¯ll keep watch until you wake up.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Orion asked.

    Graham nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll expect you to keep watch when you wake up, though. I need to get some sleep, too.¡±

    Orion smiled and nodded. He curled up on the ground, using his good arm as a pillow. ¡°Y¡¯know, that fruit was pretty amazing. My arm doesn¡¯t even hurt anymore.¡±

    ¡°It is, right?¡± Graham said, nodding. He frowned, furrowing his brow. ¡°What¡¯s that on your arm?¡± he asked.

    Orion blinked and extended his good arm. A black circular design was drawn near the elbow using strange symbols. In the middle of the circle were three lines, presumably the numeral for ¡®three¡¯. ¡°Oh, this thing showed up after I was brought here. I figured everyone got one. Didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Graham gaped, then pulled off his jacket and looked at his arm. The same design was there, but there was only one line in the middle. ¡°One¡­ Did they number us?!¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°Guess so.¡±

    ¡°That''s¡­ that¡¯s just¡ªI¡¯m not fucking Cattle!¡± He scrubbed at the offending mark. It didn¡¯t so much as smudge. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me! It¡¯s a fucking tattoo?!¡±

    Orion put his arm back under his head and closed his eyes. Graham fumed about the involuntary decoration.

    Night fell and the moon rose high into the sky. Graham sat in the cave¡¯s opening, staring into the darkness and turning one of his spikes over and over in his hands. His ears were strained to their limits, trying to catch any sound of approach.

    ¡°God, this is nerve wracking! Am I gonna have to do this every night?¡± A stick cracked in the distance and he flinched. ¡°Son of a¡­¡± He bit his lip and started stabbing the spike into the dirt. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you, just don¡¯t let it get to you. You can¡¯t afford to go crazy right now.¡±

    He took deep breaths to calm himself. He glanced back at Orion¡¯s sleeping form and his eyes narrowed. He crept back and filched the shield. ¡°There, now I¡¯ll feel a lot safer.¡± He plopped back into his spot and leaned the shield against him, sighing. ¡°Just a few more hours.¡±

    <hr>

    Morning came. Graham and Orion exited the cave, stretching and working out the kinks. Graham wiped sleep from his eyes and Orion rubbed his arm. The purple had faded and he had full use of it again.

    Orion grinned. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s effective! I thought it¡¯d take weeks to fully heal.¡±

    Graham nodded. ¡°Just try not to get injured again. I¡¯ve only got two more.¡±

    Orion quirked a brow and nodded. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡± They had found out they were both heading to Blackstone Tower so they decided to stick together. It would be difficult to climb out of the ravine and it would probably just waste all their energy, so they followed it East to look for an exit.

    Graham had to jog slightly to keep pace with Orion. ¡°Hey, what do you think that explosion was last night?¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°Couldn¡¯t say.¡±

    Graham snorted. ¡°Alright, uh¡­ tell me about yourself. We¡¯re gonna be working together so we should get to know each other, right?¡±

    ¡°You first.¡±

    ¡°What? But I was the one who asked!¡± Graham said.

    Orion smirked. ¡°Exactly why you should go first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, whatever. My name¡¯s Graham Laude. I like to play video games and watch Seeker Battles. I didn¡¯t go to college and I don¡¯t have a girlfriend. I live in a shitty apartment in the shitty area of Attela¡­ Oh! And I¡¯ve been mugged, like, three times!¡± Graham said, grinning. ¡°Your turn.¡±

    Orion ran a hand through his short hair. ¡°Orion Brates. I like to sketch in my free time. I¡¯m an accountant. Uh¡­ well, I¡¯m pretty strong, but I don¡¯t like fighting.¡± He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not very good at this crap.¡±

    Graham tapped a hand against Orion¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re doing fine. So, you¡¯re an accountant. That¡¯s a bit unexpected.¡±

    Orion frowned, shrugging. ¡°I¡¯m good with numbers and I get a decent paycheck. I¡¯d rather be an artist, but¡­ I¡¯m just not good enough.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Graham said, jumping over a rock. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you like fighting?¡±

    Orion¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I just don¡¯t.¡±

    Graham went quiet, shoving his hands in his pockets. His eyes lit up. ¡°Hey, that part over there is pretty shallow. I think we can get up.¡±

    Orion nodded and they climbed out of the ravine. Graham peered up into the canopy and smiled. ¡°I can see the tower!¡± He pointed forward. ¡°Thatta way!¡± They walked for a few hours, making pretty good progress.

    Graham shook his foot and cursed. The leaf-shoe had fallen apart again. ¡°Can we stop for a second? I need to fix this.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Need any help?¡±

    Graham paused in pulling the ragged leaves off his foot and undoing the grass bindings he¡¯d made. ¡°Seriously? Uh, yeah. Could you get me some large leaves? The leathery kind. They¡¯re tougher.¡±

    Orion nodded and started looking among the trees.

    <hr>

    Orion walked through the trees, eyes peeled for those large, leathery leaves. ¡°Why¡¯s he using leaves for a shoe, anyway?¡± he wondered. He probably should have asked earlier but¡­ well, it seemed awkward. ¡°What if he¡¯s mad cause I was short with him, earlier?¡± He sighed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡¯ve reacted like that. It was just a question.¡±

    The brush rustled noisily to his left. He paused and pulled the shield off his back. It was a woman. Her hair was like a bird¡¯s nest and her clothes were filthy.

    Orion held the shield in front of him. ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°I can¡¯t place her. I didn¡¯t really pay attention to the other people in the clearing in the first place.¡±

    She stood still, back straight as a pole, not even looking at him but staring at something in the distance. ¡°She must¡¯ve had a rough time. Did she make it out here alone?¡± He took a step forward, but didn¡¯t lower the shield.

    ¡°Gloria,¡± the woman spoke, her voice monotone.

    ¡°I¡¯m Orion,¡± he said, nodding. He took another step forward. ¡°Are you okay? Any injuries?¡±

    ¡°Gloria.¡±

    Orion stopped, swallowing heavily. ¡°Ma¡¯am, could you look at me? Look me in the eyes.¡±

    ¡°Gloria.¡±

    Orion began to sweat. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with her. Shock?¡± He took another cautious step forward, now almost within arm¡¯s reach¡ªfor Orion, not the woman. His arms were much longer.

    She tensed and turned to Orion. ¡°Oh, hello,¡± she spoke woodenly, ¡°I¡¯m Gloria.¡±

    Orion took a breath and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s nice to meet you, Gloria. Can you tell me if you¡¯re alright?¡±

    She looked around suddenly, violently twisting her head this way and that. Orion¡¯s blood went cold. ¡°What the hell?¡± he thought.

    She stopped. ¡°I must¡¯ve gotten lost. I should rejoin the others.¡± She walked away, her steps rigid. Orion didn¡¯t follow.

    Once she was out of sight, he leaned against a tree, wiping sweat from his forehead. ¡°Whatever did that to her, I¡¯ll be glad if I never see it.¡± He adjusted the straps on his shield, making sure they were snug. His eyes snapped wide. ¡°Others?¡±

    He rubbed his face. ¡°That¡¯s ominous,¡± he muttered.

 Chapter 5: Possessed

    Possessed

    I don¡¯t mind sharing things, but assuming you have a right to my stuff pisses me off to no end. It¡¯s like your mom trying to take away your laptop when you bought it! No! This is mine! You can¡¯t take this from me!

    . . . . .

    Orion returned with a handful of leaves and dropped them next to where Graham was sitting. ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± Graham said, piling the leaves on his foot and using some vines he¡¯d found to lash them in place. He¡¯d made sure the vines didn¡¯t move or try to kill him before approaching. It was only prudent, considering.

    Orion stood with his arms crossed and his foot tapping against the ground. Graham quirked a brow. ¡°Impatient? We¡¯ve still got a good few hours before we get there.¡±

    Orion stopped his foot and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s just get there quick. I¡¯ve got a bad feeling, being out here in the open.¡±

    Graham pulled the vines taut, completing the new rendition of the Leaf Shoe<sup>TM</sup>. Now with vines for extra durability! He tapped his foot on the ground to settle it into place, then gave Orion a thumbs up. ¡°Alright. Good to go!¡±

    Orion set off at a brisk jog, meaning Graham had to run. ¡°Y¡¯know, if we go at this pace the whole way, my shoe¡¯s gonna fall apart again.¡±

    Orion looked back over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll just be for a while. Half an hour.¡±

    Graham pursed his lips and shrugged.

    A few hours later, the tower took up a good portion of the sky. It really became apparent how big it was. Easily a match for most skyscrapers. They stopped for a rest atop a small ledge, too high for them to drop down without injuries. They¡¯d have to find a lower part to hop down and continue their trek.

    Graham shaded his eyes from the sun and craned his head up to look at the tower. ¡°How many stories do you think it is?¡±

    Orion shrugged, sniffing a clump of grass he¡¯d pulled up. ¡°Fifteen, twenty?¡± He looked over at Graham. ¡°Do you think this is edible?¡±

    Graham peered at it, chin in hand. ¡°It looks like normal grass. It probably wouldn¡¯t kill you.¡±

    Orion sighed. ¡°Probably, huh¡­¡± He tossed it away. ¡°Not risking it.¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± Graham said, offering one of his spikes. He¡¯d picked up the ones he¡¯d lost when the bear was knocking him around. ¡°Maybe you can catch a rabbit or something?¡±

    Orion gaped. ¡°What? Me? Do you not see how big I am? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever snuck up on anything!¡±

    Graham threw his arms up. ¡°Then I don¡¯t know what to tell you. I certainly can¡¯t catch one. Those little bastards are too fast!¡± He ran his hands through his hair. ¡°Maybe I should have tried to grab some frogs from the pond I found yesterday. I hear frog legs taste like chicken.¡±

    ¡°That reminds me,¡± Orion said. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty, too. I hope there¡¯s some water in the tower.¡±

    Graham shrugged. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±

    They followed the ledge to the left, ostensibly West, though Graham wasn¡¯t sure since the only thing to orient himself by was the tower. They found another dry streambed and slid down the much shallower bank, meaning they could now move forward again.

    Graham paused, toeing a patch of mud. ¡°You think this feeds into the ravine back there?¡±

    Orion turned back, his gaze wandering up the trail the streambed made and shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Why?¡±

    Graham blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just making conversation. Gets a bit dull if we just walk in silence.¡±

    ¡°Really? Doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±

    Graham snorted and shoved his hands in his pockets, muttering, ¡°Yeah, well, you¡¯re weird.¡±

    They walked in silence a few minutes. Orion¡¯s stomach started rumbling. He rubbed it, frowning. ¡°Hey, you think I can have one of those fruits?¡±

    Graham blinked. ¡°What? No! We should save these in case one of us gets injured again. Just bear with it, there¡¯ll probably be something at the tower. It¡¯s only an hour or two away, anyway.¡±

    Orion turned and faced him. ¡°What makes you think there¡¯ll be food there? I¡¯m a big guy, I need a lot of calories. Seriously, I¡¯m starving!¡±

    Graham tossed his arms wide. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re gonna drop dead from an hour of walking? If you¡¯re that hungry, why didn¡¯t you try to catch something?¡±

    ¡°Because I knew I couldn¡¯t! It¡¯d just waste energy! Look, there¡¯s two fruits. One for me, one for you. Just give me mine, that¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for.¡±

    Graham¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°One for you, one for me? Really? Somehow, I don¡¯t recall you being there when I was attacked by that bear and bombarded with those fucking spikes! I¡¯m the one that got these fruits, so they belong to me. I only gave you one earlier cause I¡¯m a nice guy!¡±

    Orion¡¯s hands curled into fists at his sides. ¡°We both know you want to work together to use me as a meat shield! I¡¯m fine with that, but I want payment. You¡¯re just being unreasonable. Don¡¯t make me take it from you, I don¡¯t like fighting.¡±

    Graham¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Fine.¡± He pulled out one of the fruits, its surface shining under the sunlight. He offered it to Orion, but a screech pierced the air and a blur smacked into his arm, taking the fruit.

    Graham and Orion gaped at the disheveled form of a woman. Gloria. Orion paled. ¡°Shit.¡±

    Gloria brought the fruit to her face and took a deep breath, shivering and rubbing it against her cheek. Graham blinked. ¡°Hey! Hey, you can¡¯t have that!¡± He reached for her, but she lunged and knocked him down, then ran back into the trees.

    Graham stared at the place he¡¯d last seen her. ¡°What the fuck! She just stole my fruit!¡± He glared at Orion. ¡°This is your fault! If you hadn¡¯t kicked up such a fuss¡ª¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Orion said, holding a finger to his lips. He looked around.

    Graham stood and grit his teeth. ¡°Y¡¯know, you¡¯re being a real ass, all of the sudden.¡±

    Orion frowned. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°But kindly shut it! I think there are others.¡±

    Graham pursed his lips and started searching. ¡°This isn¡¯t the end of this. Selfish bastard. And I thought he was a nice guy¡­¡± Graham laughed scornfully.

    Orion was right, there were others. They moved through the brush just beyond sight. Graham could hear them. He swallowed heavily. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should get to the tower.¡±

    Orion nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± And so they ran. The mysterious group followed, moving through the brush noisily to keep pace with the running pair. Graham¡¯s leaf-shoe started coming apart, but he ignored it. Finally, they arrived at the tower. So did their pursuers.

    They numbered three. The one they¡¯d seen earlier, Gloria; an equally disheveled, but more confident-looking man; and a younger woman with brown hair. She looked a bit different from the other two. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, but many locks had escaped and hung around her face. She wrung her hands together, standing behind the other two. She was breathing heavily, unlike the others.

    Graham and Orion had their backs to the tower, facing the other group. Graham frowned and addressed the man. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The man stuck out a knobby, grasping hand. ¡°Give it! I know you have it! Give it here!¡±

    Graham¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Give what?¡±

    The brown-haired woman stepped forward, biting her lip. ¡°Um¡­ they, they want the fruit,¡± she said.

    Graham blinked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the crying girl?¡± The crying girl was one of the few people he¡¯d paid any attention to in the clearing, if only because she was loud. She looked a mess, but he was pretty sure it was the same person.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°You already took it,¡± Orion said. ¡°We don¡¯t have it anymore.¡± He glanced back at the tower and clicked his tongue.

    Graham sighed. They hadn¡¯t been able to get in the tower because there was no door. ¡°It might be on the other side, but we don¡¯t really have the leisure to check.¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡± the man shouted. ¡°I can smell it! You have it! Give it!¡±

    Crying girl¡¯s eyes teared up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. They won¡¯t leave you alone until you give it to them. Please, just¡­ let them have it. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±

    Graham furrowed his brow. ¡°She talks about them like they¡¯re wild animals. What the hell happened to those two?¡± He didn¡¯t have time to think about it, as Gloria and the man lunged forth. Gloria attacked Graham and the man went for Orion.

    Graham side-stepped her and turned, arming himself with a spike. She turned and lunged again. Graham grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t make me hurt you.¡± She swung at him, foaming at the mouth and eyes bloodshot. Graham dodged backward, staying out of her range. He grit his teeth and put the spike back in the waist of his pants.

    He leapt forward and knocked her to the ground, pinning her arms down. She writhed and snarled viciously. ¡°Fuck, she¡¯s stronger than she looks.¡± He had to focus all his weight on her arms to keep her pinned, but her legs were free to move. She kicked at the ground, hard, managing to flip them over so Graham was underneath.

    Graham tried to keep them rolling, but she headbutted him. He grunted with pain, feeling blood run down his lip. His lip curled into a snarl. ¡°Bitch, that hurt!¡± He let go of one of her arms and punched her cheek, knocking her off him. She didn¡¯t even try to stand, instead pawing at his pocket, more intent on getting the fruit than winning the fight.

    Orion appeared and lifted her up, putting her in a chokehold. She struggled for a few seconds but quickly lost consciousness. Graham pushed himself to his feet and wiped his bloody nose. The man that was fighting Orion was unconscious as well, and Crying girl was tending to him.

    Orion set down Gloria and leaned back against the black stones of the tower. Graham frowned and scratched his head. ¡°Um¡­ thanks.¡±

    Orion shrugged, looking at the sky.

    Graham looked at Crying girl. ¡°Are you gonna attack us, too?¡±

    She glanced at him with wide eyes and shook her head. Her hands kept fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. They don¡¯t listen to me. I really didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt...¡±

    Graham sighed and ran his hands through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m Graham; that¡¯s Orion.¡± He gestured to the large man.

    She blinked. ¡°Um, oh. I¡¯m Robin¡­ and this is, uh, James. That¡¯s Gloria.¡±

    Orion snorted. ¡°I¡¯d gathered.¡±

    Graham quirked a brow. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± But he didn¡¯t ask. He looked at Robin. ¡°Why are they, uh¡­ like that?¡±

    She shook her head, staring at the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. They seemed nice on the first day. But, as time went on, they started acting weird. Like they were¡­ less human, or something. And, and they communicate with each other, but not in words. They can just look at each other and know what the other wants to say.¡±

    She sniffed. ¡°I¡¯ve been so scared. They haven¡¯t tried to hurt me, but I can¡¯t help but think it¡¯s just a matter of time¡­¡±

    Graham rubbed his head, sighing, and approached her. He stepped on something sharp and winced. ¡°Right. My shoe¡¯s broken again. Great!¡± His eyes fell on James¡¯ shoes. ¡°He tried to steal from me first, right? It wouldn¡¯t be¡­ unreasonable to, uh, take compensation, right?¡± But Robin might get angry, and she had the ultimate weapon that he wouldn¡¯t be able to stand up to. Crying just wasn¡¯t fair. Nothing makes you feel worse than making a girl cry.

    He extended a hand to her. ¡°Hey¡­ why don¡¯t you stick with us? I promise we¡¯re more sane than those two,¡± he said, grinning.

    Robin laughed softly and took his hand. ¡°That does seem to be the case, at first glance.¡± She looked at Gloria and frowned. ¡°But what about them? It doesn¡¯t feel right to just leave them here. What if something attacks them?¡±

    Orion pushed himself away from the wall. ¡°They¡¯ll wake up in ten minutes or so. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    She blinked as the tall man approached, dwarfing her. Orion was taller than Graham by a head and a half, and Graham was several inches taller than her, so the difference in their heights was quite pronounced. ¡°Oh, uh, I guess that¡¯s alright, then. Um¡­ thank you both for letting me join your group.¡± She lowered her head to the two men.

    Orion shrugged and started around the tower. Graham put his hands in his pockets. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s just hungry. Probably.¡± He looked at the two on the ground. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go on ahead. I¡¯ll just lean these two against the wall. Make sure they¡¯re comfortable.¡±

    Robin smiled. ¡°Okay. Thanks, Graham.¡± She jogged after Orion. Graham waved and waited until he couldn¡¯t see her anymore, then started dragging the two over near the wall. ¡°I can¡¯t let a chance to get some proper shoes pass me by. I just hope she doesn¡¯t notice,¡± he thought as he pulled off James¡¯ shoes. He ripped off the remains of his leaf-shoe and tried the new sneakers on.

    He drew his lips to the side. ¡°Bit tight, but they¡¯ll do.¡± He¡¯d changed out his good shoe as well, so they¡¯d match. Mismatched shoes might draw attention. He pulled the strings taut and jumped a few times. ¡°Nice.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Excuse me? Please, wait!¡± Robin called, chasing Orion¡¯s back. He turned his head and stopped. She stopped next to him, hands on her knees and breathing hard. She caught her breath and looked up at him. ¡°Graham told me you were hungry. I¡­ I can help with that.¡±

    Orion¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Before Gloria started¡­ acting weird, she taught me about some of the plants here. She was a botanist. A-Anyway, I can probably find something to eat.¡±

    Orion nodded and headed away from the tower toward the trees. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡±

    Robin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Right now? But¡­¡± She looked back at the edge of the tower, beyond which Graham was handling James and Gloria. ¡°Won¡¯t he be confused when he can¡¯t find us?¡± She reached out to tap Orion on the arm but chickened out at the last second. She followed him, chewing her lip and looking for some of the plants Gloria had pointed out to her.

    Her eyes widened. ¡°Stop! I found one.¡± She knelt and started digging around a branching brown stalk. She pulled up a lumpy reddish thing and started brushing off the dirt.

    Orion knelt next to her and took a close look. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°A type of tuber. It doesn¡¯t taste very good, but it¡¯s filling. If we find some water, we can boil it or mash it.¡± She scratched some dirt out of a wrinkle in the tuber. ¡°Um, there might be more around here. They tend to grow in groups.¡±

    Orion nodded and started searching for similar stalks. Robin did the same. She glanced at Orion and took a breath. ¡°S-so, how did you and Graham meet?¡± she asked.

    Orion paused but remained focused on his digging. ¡°I was being chased by a bear. Graham saw me and helped out.¡±

    Robin paled. ¡°A bear! That sounds awful.¡±

    Orion snorted. ¡°It¡¯s worse than you think. It wasn¡¯t a normal bear. Easily twice as big as any I¡¯d ever seen. Graham says it¡¯d attacked him before and it used to have spikes on its back. That¡¯s where he got the ones he carries.¡±

    Her jaw fell. ¡°Then, those holes in his jacket?¡±

    Orion nodded. ¡°He got hit by two when the bear launched all of them at once.¡±

    Robin began to shake, a tear dropping into the dirt on her hand. ¡°I hate this place. I want to go home.¡±

    Orion grimaced and stood, piling the tubers he¡¯d gathered with hers. ¡°I think we have enough. Let¡¯s head back.¡± He picked them all up by the stalks and set off. Robin wiped her eyes and followed, jogging to keep pace with his walk.

    She tapped him on the arm. ¡°Um¡­ earlier you said that¡­ ¡®you gathered¡¯ when I told you Gloria¡¯s name¡­¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I ran into her a few hours ago.¡±

    Robin frowned. ¡°But Graham didn¡¯t seem to know her name.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him about it. Honestly, I¡¯d half convinced myself that I imagined it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I see.¡±

    <hr>

    Graham circled around the tower the direction opposite what Orion and Robin took. ¡°Wouldn''t be good if they came all the way ¡®round and saw James without his shoes.¡± He reached the other side of the tower, but they were nowhere to be found. He brought a hand to his mouth, ready to yell out for them, but thought better of it. ¡°Making loud noises in a forest full of murderous beasts? Not a good idea.¡±

    Perhaps they¡¯d show up in a bit. In the meantime, he circled further, looking for the door. The tower was as wide as his apartment building and the black stones were packed tightly together. Nary a crack could be seen on any of them, as if someone spared no effort to maintain them.

    Graham frowned. ¡°Is there no entrance? Why is it here if there¡¯s no entrance?¡± Something moved in the trees a short distance away. Graham tensed up and put his hands on the spikes at his waist. Orion and Robin appeared from the trees. Graham relaxed. ¡°Hey! Where were you guys? I was worried.¡±

    Orion shrugged and lifted up the plants he was carrying. Robin wrung her hands. ¡°Um, we, uh, went to find some food. Sorry to worry you¡­¡± Her gaze fell to her feet.

    Graham smiled. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t feel too bad.¡± He frowned. ¡°Though, I do have some bad news¡­ I searched all around the tower and I couldn¡¯t find a door.¡±

    Orion sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about that now. We¡¯ve got more important things to do, like eat.¡± He dropped the plants and headed back for the woods.

    Graham quirked a brow. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked.

    ¡°To get firewood. You come, too.¡±

    Graham blinked. ¡°Sure, I guess.¡± He took a step forward, but Robin stopped him with a hand on his sleeve.

    ¡°What about me? You¡¯re not gonna leave me here, are you?¡± Her gaze bore into him, green eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

    ¡°Oh, man, not the tears. We can¡¯t just leave the food unattended, though.¡± He rubbed his chin, then nodded. ¡°Alright, you come with.¡± He took off his jacket and wrapped up the tubers in it, then handed it to her. ¡°It oughta be easier to carry like this.¡±

    She blinked, smiled, then clutched the jacket to her chest. Graham and Orion gathered firewood, Robin following Graham like a puppy. Once they had enough, they returned to the tower and dropped the wood in a pile. Graham crossed his arms and stared down at it. ¡°So¡­ anyone know how to start a fire without a lighter?¡±

    Orion averted his eyes. Robin hesitantly raised a hand. ¡°Well¡­ in theory. I mean, don¡¯t we just rub two sticks together?¡±

    Graham ran a hand through his hair, placing the other against the tower. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy¡ª¡± The lines between the bricks where he¡¯d placed his hand began to glow with orange light, spreading in an area taller than Orion and twice as wide. Graham yelped and hopped away.

    Slowly, the bricks in the glowing area protruded and rearranged themselves into an arched entryway. It was too dark to see what was inside. Robin hid behind Graham as he drew two spikes. Orion strapped the shield to his arm, holding it in front of him.

    Graham gulped. ¡°I guess we found the way in.¡± He took a breath. ¡°Should we go?¡±

 Chapter 6: Blackstone Tower

    Blackstone Tower

    I never take thieves with me when I explore dungeons. My character is usually strong enough to weather any trap, so I didn¡¯t need anyone to disarm them for me. I¡¯d really like to have a thief now.

    . . . . .

    Graham, Orion, and Robin entered the tower, in that order. They passed through a short hallway in the darkness. It was like a thick black curtain; somehow the light from the entrance couldn¡¯t pierce it. The silence was so thick they could hear each other¡¯s heartbeats. Robin¡¯s were the loudest. Graham took one more step then noticed that the way the sound echoed had changed. ¡°It opens up here,¡± he said. He reached for the wall and felt how the stone sharply turned, spreading out and away from the hallway.

    ¡°Just go,¡± Orion said.

    Graham frowned. ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not in front.¡± He took a cautious step, holding the spikes before him, point forward. A fire sprang into being ahead of them, a marvelous blue. It shed light on their surroundings.

    Graham covered his eyes at the sudden light, then studied his surroundings. It was a circular room with five doors set in the walls, equidistant. The fire burned in the center of the room, settled in a pit in the floor. It was surrounded by a ring of seats, also set into the floor but not as deep.

    ¡°It¡¯s clear. Nothing dangerous.¡± As soon as he said that, Orion brushed past him and sat next to the fire. Graham frowned and took a closer look at the door to his left. He stepped on a groove in the ground which connected all the doors in a pentagram formation.

    Robin tapped on his shoulder. ¡°Excuse me¡­ do you think it¡¯s safe here? I-I¡¯d really like to get some sleep. I haven¡¯t had much recently¡­¡±

    Graham blinked. ¡°Uh, yeah, go ahead. Orion and I can keep watch.¡±

    She smiled and loosed a breath. ¡°Thank you. Really.¡±

    Graham smiled back as she curled up on one of the cushioned seats opposite Orion. He pursed his lips. ¡°I should probably watch the door.¡± He went back to the hallway and followed it to the entrance. Or to where it should be. It wasn¡¯t there. His eyes widened and he felt along the wall in front of him. ¡°How do I open this?¡± He beat it with his fists and cursed. ¡°Are we fucking trapped? I should¡¯ve known this would happen.¡±

    Obviously, the ¡®admins¡¯ didn¡¯t want them to leave the tower. At least, not before they¡¯d done¡­ something. Probably to do with the five doors. Graham snorted and shook his head. ¡°So predictable, yet I didn¡¯t see it coming. Stupid!¡±

    He went back to the room. ¡°We¡¯re locked in,¡± he announced. Orion glanced at him and nodded, then went back to roasting a tuber he¡¯d impaled with a stick. Graham frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t he bothered?¡± He sighed. ¡°At least we¡¯ve got some food. The only problem is water¡­¡±

    Robin pushed herself up on her elbows, rubbing her eyes. ¡°What was that?¡±

    Graham sat down next to her and clasped his hands, leaning forward. ¡°The entrance is gone. We¡¯re not getting out.¡± He looked into the fire. It burned but there was no fuel. No familiar crackle that he¡¯d come to associate with fire. Just a gentle flickering roar.

    Robin paled and sat up. ¡°We can¡¯t get out? But¡­ what¡¯ll we do? We don¡¯t have water!¡± She chewed on her fingernails, looking at her knees.

    ¡°Check the doors,¡± Orion said. She looked at him, her eyes lost. ¡°The doors. Just over there, and there, and there, also there.¡± His gaze flickered to one of them and hers followed.

    She swallowed and wrung her hands. ¡°But what¡¯s behind them? What if it¡¯s a monster?¡±

    Orion shrugged, pulling his tuber out of the fire and broke the skin open. He scooped out a bit of the potato-y innards and swallowed it down with a grimace. ¡°Edible. Barely.¡± He took another scoop.

    Robin huddled her knees against her chest, wrapping her arms around them. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. Why are we even here?¡±

    Graham quirked a brow. ¡°Well, I¡¯m assuming they want us to become Seekers¡­ for some reason.¡±

    She glanced at him, face half hidden by her arms. ¡°But how do we do that?¡±

    He blinked. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to become a Seeker? They teach this stuff in school!¡±

    She frowned, blushing. ¡°I didn¡¯t really pay attention. I was never interested in becoming one¡­¡±

    Graham rubbed his face and sighed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll explain it to you, so pay attention.¡± She nodded. He cleared his throat. ¡°There are five stages to Seeking: Purifying, Foundation Building, Core Formation, Soul Vessel, and Severing. After that is immortality, though I don¡¯t consider that to be one of the stages. The goal of Seeking is to become immortal so, once you¡¯ve done that, you¡¯re not Seeking anymore.¡±

    ¡°So, we start with Purifying? How do we do that?¡± Robin asked.

    Graham crossed his arms. ¡°We need a scripture. It will tell us how to purify our bodies. That¡¯s why I came here. I thought I¡¯d be able to find a scripture.¡±

    She tilted her head. ¡°What makes you think you¡¯ll find one here?¡±

    Orion looked at her. ¡°Where else would you find one?¡± he asked.

    Graham nodded. ¡°This is the most conspicuous place I could see after I scaled a hill. If they want us to be Seekers, they wouldn¡¯t have put the scriptures somewhere obscure. Chances are, we¡¯ll find one behind one of these doors.¡±

    Robin''s eyes shifted from one door to the next. ¡°Then¡­ should we go in?¡±

    Graham shook his head. ¡°Not yet. Let¡¯s all rest up first. Like you said; who knows what¡¯s behind them?¡±

    Robin groaned. ¡°You¡¯re not making me feel very confident.¡±

    Graham laughed and Orion chuckled quietly.

    <hr>

    Graham peered closely at one of the doors, squinting his eyes. ¡°Damn this light. My eyes are starting to hurt.¡± The fire painted everything in a ruddy blue tint that he just couldn¡¯t get used to.

    The doors all looked the same; brown wood with a visible grain and knots here and there; a metal handle, likely brass; an indented section on the top and bottom of each of them. His eyes followed the grooves in the stone floor that connected each door. ¡°Why are they connected like that? Some kind of magic?¡±

    If only there were more clues in the room. Besides the pit and the fire and the doors, it was barren. There was nothing to indicate what might be behind the doors. It was bad design. You should always make sure the player understands the goal and the rewards when you give them a quest. Seraphim and Nautilus were proving themselves to be lacking as admins¡­ or Game Masters¡­ or whatever you wanted to call them.

    He sighed and grabbed one of the reddish tubers, impaling it with a stick like Orion had. The others were asleep, as Graham had volunteered to keep watch. It wasn¡¯t nearly so unnerving when they were in a sealed room. Though, being in a sealed room was unnerving itself.

    He held the tuber over the fire. ¡°At least we have that. And I didn¡¯t have to rub sticks together until I had blisters. So that¡¯s nice.¡± Robin stirred next to him, grasping her left side and moaning. She trembled and her breath came in quick rasps. Graham frowned, his brow furrowed. ¡°Is she hurt? She didn¡¯t say anything, though?¡±

    He reached out a hand but pulled it back. She¡¯d calmed down, her expression untwisting. ¡°I should ask her about it when she wakes up,¡± he decided. He twisted and grabbed his jacket from behind him, letting the remaining two tubers tumble out, then draped it over her. ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t need it, but¡­ it seems like the nice thing to do.¡±

    He finished cooking the tuber and ate it. That only took ten minutes. Orion and Robin probably wouldn¡¯t wake up for hours. So, bored, he went back to inspecting the doors. He looked at the one just right of the entrance. Just like the others, it seemed to be an ordinary door. There were no sigils on it like he might have expected.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Sigils were magical symbols that Seekers used to create talismans or enchant weapons and objects. Graham blinked, looking down at the grooves in the floor once more. ¡°Is this pentagram a sigil?¡± He stooped and ran a finger along it. The inside of the groove was bumpy and rough but the lighting made it hard to tell what the bumps were.

    Graham didn¡¯t know much about sigils. Unlike the stages of Seeking, it wasn¡¯t common knowledge. Likely because sigils could make weapons that even a mortal could use. Perhaps if he joined Attela¡¯s Militia, they¡¯d teach him about them.

    He sighed and gave up, instead looking at the doorknob. Brass and round with designs moulded onto it. They might have been sigils, but they seemed more decorative. He reached out and touched the handle. Searing pain pierced his palm and he leapt back. He cradled his arm, biting his tongue to keep from screaming out in pain.

    He opened his hand. A glowing red mark stained his palm, but it wasn¡¯t a burn¡­ and it moved. Slipping down his arm like liquid fire, it seeped into the mark near his elbow and filled up the numeral in the center until it glowed red-hot.

    Steam rolled off the mark but, somehow, the pain was bearable. The numeral broke, shattered into pieces within the circle, and reformed into spidery script. It read: Enter alone. You have one minute.

    He blinked. ¡°Is the mark a sigil, too? I never knew you could draw them on flesh¡­¡± The text broke up again and reformed as the number ¡®60¡¯. It began to count down. Graham¡¯s jaw fell and he quickly sprang into action. Scrambling over to Orion, he shook him awake. ¡°Orion. Orion!¡± he whispered hoarsely.

    Orion blinked and became alert surprisingly fast. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Listen. I touched one of the doorknobs and now the mark on my arm is telling me to enter. Don¡¯t touch the doors! Wait until I get back!¡±

    Orion sat up and grabbed Graham¡¯s arm. The number read ¡®52¡¯, then ¡®51¡¯. He stood and pulled Graham up with him.

    Graham pulled his arm out of Orion¡¯s grasp. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have much time. I have to go.¡±

    Orion nodded. ¡°Graham, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said.

    Graham blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    Orion grimaced. ¡°About earlier. I was an ass. I thought we might be attacked and separated, so I wanted to hold on to one of the fruits. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to take it.¡±

    Graham¡¯s jaw flapped, his eyes swimming. ¡°I mean¡­ is now really the time for that?¡± He looked at his arm. 42 seconds.

    ¡°Now might be the last time.¡±

    Graham¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not dying. Don¡¯t even pretend that¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. I¡¯m not.¡± He turned and headed for the door. He stopped just before it and looked back. ¡°And about earlier¡­ don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Orion picked his shield up off the seat and handed it to Graham. ¡°Take this.¡±

    Graham nodded, strapping the shield in place. He turned the handle and entered.

    <hr>

    Beyond the door was a stairwell. Hot pins stabbed his arm as the mark changed once more. Be aware of your surroundings, it read. He frowned. ¡°My surroundings? What in the surroundings?¡±

    The stairs led upward at a curve. Graham followed them. He came to a new floor, a curved hallway extending in front of him. Yellow moss covered the walls in splotches, casting similarly colored light bright enough to see easily. ¡°At least it¡¯s not blue. Yellow is much more tolerable.¡±

    He held out the shield in front of him and shimmied forward, his right foot always ahead of the left. This way he¡¯d always have his feet on the ground and spread to give him the most stable footing. There was a faint click as he slid his foot forward and his gut wound up into a knot. ¡°Oh, fuck no.¡± He threw himself forward, running with all the speed he possessed.

    Loud clangs shattered the air as spikes slammed out from one wall into the other. They shot out in a cascade down the path, Graham barely managing to stay ahead of the deadly barrage. A wall appeared ahead. Graham furrowed his brow, breathing heavily. ¡°A dead end? No, it¡¯s a sharp turn!¡±

    Just on the right, there was an opening. Graham ran forward, thanking his past self for getting some proper shoes, then jumped and kicked off the wall. He sailed around the corner, slamming into the wall and bouncing off the floor, the shield clanging against the stone. The succession of spikes slowly retracted.

    He lay against the floor, cheek pressed to cold stone and his breath coming in gasps. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, groaning. ¡°Be aware of the traps.¡± He stood and looked back at the trapped passage. Peering around the corner with the shield covering his head, he examined the wall the spikes came out of. Chunks of the moss had fallen off the wall in an orderly array. ¡°The holes were covered by the moss. Now, I see. If I¡¯d paid more attention, I might have noticed. And then there was whatever I stepped on. That must¡¯ve been the trigger. I¡¯ll have to watch my step.¡±

    He backed up and sat down with his back to the wall to catch his breath. In the quiet, he heard a faint trickling and sucked in a breath. ¡°Water!¡± He hadn¡¯t had anything to drink since yesterday and his mouth was beginning to taste like chalk.

    He stood and continued along the new passage, keeping a better eye on the floor and walls. Occasionally he¡¯d scratch some of the moss away with one of his bone spikes to make sure there was nothing underneath.

    He came to a stretch of floor where the bricks were laid strangely. A diagonal criss-cross pattern that left small diamond-shaped holes between the bricks. ¡°Another trap,¡± he thought. But where was the trigger? His eyes scanned the floor and the walls, looking for a raised piece he might bump or step on. He found nothing of note.

    Further study of the ground did tell him one thing. There were certain parts here and there where the pattern didn¡¯t match up right, meaning there was a solid patch where there should be a diamond. His eyes narrowed. ¡°The pattern doesn¡¯t go on that long¡­ maybe ten steps to cross¡­ it could be the whole thing is the trigger, except for the parts without the diamonds.¡±

    He pictured crossing it like some deadly game of hopscotch. Taking each step landing on his toes and making sure not to lose his balance. He swallowed heavily and tossed a spike out. It clattered against the floor, rolling over the diamond holes. Nothing happened.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Graham thought. If the spike had set off the trap, at least he¡¯d have confirmation it was there. Since it didn¡¯t, he hadn¡¯t really learned anything. The trap might need more weight to set it off, so he hadn¡¯t proved it wasn¡¯t there.

    He wiped some sweat from his forehead and inched his foot forward¡­ then pulled it back. He shook his head. ¡°No, no. There¡¯s got to be a way to confirm the trap is there without risking mortal injury. And I don¡¯t very much feel like trying to outrun another one.¡± Graham began to pace, rubbing his temples in circles.

    ¡°Throwing the rest of the spikes won¡¯t work; they¡¯re not heavy enough.¡± He only had three more tucked into his waist so even their combined weight wouldn¡¯t do much. ¡°I can¡¯t jump over it; it¡¯s too far.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Maybe I can¡­¡± He peered at the wall and imagined himself running at an angle then kicking off the wall to give him extra momentum to clear the distance, just like he¡¯d done to escape the first trap.

    But¡­ when he¡¯d done it before, he hadn¡¯t covered much ground. It was too risky. He ruled that out. The shield¡¯s straps bit into his arm and he dug his fingers underneath to scratch it. ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯ll use the shield.¡± He undid the straps and took it off.

    Carefully approaching the changed pattern, he tossed the shield up and leapt back, covering his head. It rung out as it struck the ground, then the hall exploded with sound. The shield was sent flying and bounced off the ceiling and the walls before nearly taking Graham¡¯s head off.

    Hot steam filled his vision, the moisture making it hard to breathe. Graham crawled away and grabbed the shield, but it burned his hand. He snatched it back and cradled it against him. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, choking on sticky moisture. It coated his throat and got into his lungs. He coughed violently until the steam cleared.

    He looked down the path, watching the cloud of steam drift away. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Steam? Not spikes?¡± He grimaced and tried to rub off the sticky film that had accumulated on his skin, but it was stubborn.

    He frowned. ¡°Feels like I¡¯ve been working outside on a humid day¡­ in a swamp.¡± He tested the shield again and found it as hot as a slide on a sunny day. Which is to say, you could forge a sword with its heat. Closing his eyes, he tried to figure out what had happened. ¡°I dropped the shield, it went flying and nearly hit me, steam filled the place, the shield is very hot¡­ so the trap doesn¡¯t shoot spikes of metal, but jets of steam?¡±

    That wasn¡¯t very reassuring. They must be pressurised, considering how they sent the shield flying. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to set them off again. I¡¯ll be cooked alive.¡± But now he¡¯d confirmed the trap was there. Progress.

    The shield had cooled down. Carefully, he stabbed it down onto a spot without a diamond, then jumped back with the shield still in his hands. Nothing happened. He smiled. ¡°Haha, alright. Just have to step on the parts without the diamonds. Probably.¡± Either way, he needed to keep going.

    He stood before the trap, taking a moment to calm his trembling legs. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got my path picked out. I just have to keep my balance and focus.¡± He took the first leap, landing right where he¡¯d stabbed the shield. Nothing happened. He laughed quietly, keeping a hand on the wall to balance himself, as he had only one foot on the ground. ¡°Going good. Stay focused, Graham,¡± he told himself.

    He leapt to the next one and the next one. But the one after that was further apart than the others¡­ and it was in the center of the hall, too far to use either wall as a support. He swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ll have to jump to that one and, immediately after, the next.¡± His heart pounded in his chest as he bent his leg.

    He leapt¡­ and landed safely. But the shield! It had thrown off his balance. His arms spun as they tried to keep him upright, but the shield weighed him down on one side and continued to throw him off. Further and further forward he fell. Gritting his teeth, he extended his leg as far as it would go and landed on the next safe spot!

    His face screwed up at the pain in his groin. ¡°I cannot do the splits! Goddamn shield.¡± He tossed it forward like a frisbee and it landed on the other side. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t really doing the splits¡­ it only felt like that because he wasn¡¯t very flexible.

    He took deep breaths to prepare himself, then thrust his weight forward. His back foot left the safe patch and he balanced on his front foot, then leapt the remaining two. Now on safe ground, he collapsed and curled into a ball, groaning and cursing the world for doing this to him.

    Several minutes passed and he recovered, standing and kicking the shield spitefully. He picked it up and continued on his way toward the trickling sound.

 Chapter 7: Reflections

    Reflections

    People say you should face your demons, but I never imagined mine would look so much like me.

    . . . . .

    The trickling sound grew louder with every step. Graham was tempted to run to it, but caution told him there might still be more traps. So, he ventured forth, step by careful step. Finally, the path opened up into a room full of water. It tumbled out of holes in the walls and gathered in several pools. On the far side was a door, though there wasn¡¯t a clear way to get to it. He¡¯d have to wade through the pools.

    He knelt and scooped water into his hands, drinking greedily. The yellow moss that lit the hallways was present here, as well. Some even floated on the water¡¯s surface, shedding a shimmering light on the water.

    Graham gulped down the water until he was satisfied, then splashed his face and scrubbed away the dirt that¡¯d accumulated in the past day. ¡°I really need to find something to use as a canteen. I can¡¯t keep going without water for so long.¡± He wiped his face off with his shirt.

    Besides the pools, there wasn¡¯t really anything of interest within the room. ¡°Just press forward, I guess?¡± The path he was on stopped about halfway into the room, where he¡¯d have to wade through the largest pool to reach the other side. He stopped at its edge and took a breath. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no choice, I¡¯ll have to get a bit wet.¡±

    His eyes widened and he took his shirt off, then tossed it to the other side. ¡°There.¡± He grinned. ¡°I can keep my clothes dry like that.¡± His hands rested on the waist of his pants for a second. He frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no one around. Might as well keep everything else dry.¡± He slipped his shoes off then stripped, tossing them all to the other side.

    He grit his teeth and took a step in. ¡°Nothing to be embarrassed about. This is the logical thing to do. If I let my clothes get wet, I might catch a cold, and out here that could be a death sentence.¡±

    So, really, this was the best choice, no matter how ridiculous and exposed he felt. Perhaps it was the happiness at finding water, but there was one thing he hadn¡¯t considered. That there might be something else in it.

    He was knee deep when something brushed across his foot. He flinched but kept going. Maybe it was some of that moss, sunken to the bottom? Hip-deep; something flashed past his thigh and he couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore. It had left a deep cut on his thigh, the blood oozing into the water like ink.

    He grimaced and threw himself forward, determined to cross as quickly as possible. Ripples formed on the water and he received more cuts. Suddenly, a fish launched out of the water, like a silver blade with stripes of green, and aimed for his head!

    Graham ducked into the water, but the sudden movement cost him his footing on the slippery stones of the pond. He kicked and flung himself through the water, trying to protect himself with the shield, but the bladefish danced around it. He struggled to make it back to land, but the shield dragged through the water and slowed him. ¡°I should¡¯ve thrown this to the other side, too.¡±

    Finally reaching the other side of the pool, he pulled himself out of the water. Small cuts all over him dripped blood, staining him with streaks of red. And still, the fish didn¡¯t leave him be. They leapt out of the water, aiming for him and forcing him to shield himself as he picked up his clothes.

    Luckily, now that he was on land, he could much better utilize the shield. There was a loud ding every time he blocked one of the torpedo-like fish. When they fell on land, they could easily flop back into the water and launch themselves again. ¡°Damn these things.¡± He flinched as one slipped past the shield and left a cut on his shoulder. ¡°If I don¡¯t get out of here soon, I¡¯ll bleed to death!¡±

    There was no time to clothe himself so he gathered them up and ran for the door, batting fish away with his shield. He opened the door, just about to throw himself through, and yelped as a fish bit into his ass! ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± he shouted, closing the door behind him. He reached back and pried the little bastard off, tossing it on the ground like he¡¯d just made a touchdown.

    Face twisted with horrible anger and red with humiliation, he slammed the shield down on the flopping fish, over and over, until he was satisfied it was good and dead. He collapsed to his knees and groaned. ¡°Fuck everything! Just¡­ fuck everything. I¡¯d be glad to be a Seeker, but this isn¡¯t how I imagined it happening!¡± He pushed his sopping hair back out of his eyes. ¡°I never want to see another fish in my life!¡±

    He shook himself like a dog to dry himself a bit. ¡°Who the fuck put those things in there, anyway? What kind of sick bastard would do that?¡± Grabbing his shirt, he pressed it against one of the deeper cuts, wincing at the contact. ¡°I should¡¯ve brought that fruit with me,¡± he said.

    He had kept it in his jacket pocket, and the jacket was with Robin. He¡¯d been in such a hurry due to the time constraints, he¡¯d forgotten to grab it. Graham sat against a wall and looked around this new room. The most notable thing was the large mirror opposite to him mounted on the wall, which reflected his miserable appearance. A sad, wet, naked man covered in cuts, like he¡¯d just been rescued from a torture chamber. He looked away from the unpleasant sight.

    ¡°Certainly doesn¡¯t do much for my self-image,¡± he thought. After waiting a few minutes to dry off somewhat, he slipped his clothes back on. He had to go slow to avoid irritating his wounds. Every movement made a cut stretch and he could feel the two sides separating. It wasn¡¯t pleasant. He frowned, looking down at himself. ¡°All my clothes are gonna be covered in blood stains.¡±

    He shook his head and approached the mirror. There was no door leading out of the room, only the one he¡¯d come from, and he wasn¡¯t keen on going back at the moment so it seemed to be his best bet to move forward. The mirror was taller than him and thrice as wide. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something about it¡­ something that¡¯ll let me progress.¡±

    It was in a wooden frame, painted gold. Intricate designs were carved into the wood. Graham gulped. ¡°More sigils? I wish I knew how to recognize them.¡± He glanced at his arm, wondering if the mark there would give him any insight. It had changed back to the numeral. He clicked his tongue.

    Peering into the reflection, he saw the door open behind him. ¡°Fuck!¡± He spun but found nothing. Literally. The door was gone. ¡°This again?!¡± He rubbed his forehead and sighed. The door was still there¡ªopen¡ªin the mirror but in reality it was missing, replaced by a stone wall.

    Graham grit his teeth and reached for the mirror. ¡°I¡¯m gonna regret this.¡± He braced himself for the pain that would surely come. Looking himself in the eyes, his hand came to rest on the glassy surface. His reflection blinked.

    <hr>

    Robin stirred and awoke to the sight of blue fire. She sat up, causing the jacket draped over her to slide to her lap. ¡°Oh? This is Graham¡¯s, right?¡± She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s nice of him. I guess I really was lucky to run into these two.¡± She hadn¡¯t been able to sleep soundly when she was with James and Gloria. They¡¯d started out nice enough, but after that encounter¡­ well, they¡¯d changed. She shivered and shook her head. ¡°Best not to think about it.¡±

    Orion was up and pacing around the room. Graham was nowhere in sight. ¡°Did he find a way out?¡± She frowned. ¡°No, they probably would¡¯ve woken me if they had.¡± She raised a hand, gingerly, and called out, ¡°Um, Orion?¡±

    He stopped and looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Good, that¡¯s good.¡± He looked this way and that, rubbing a hand over his mouth.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Robin watched him. ¡°He¡¯s acting kind of strange. Maybe I should¡ª¡± She gasped quietly, grasping her side. ¡°Ow, no, no! Not now! Please!¡± She clenched her hands on her side, squeezing tight and keeping a subtle eye on Orion to make sure he wasn¡¯t looking. The thing squirmed and writhed under her grip, sending sparks of pain through her chest. Slowly, it stopped, the pain subsiding.

    Orion hadn¡¯t noticed, having spent the past couple seconds muttering to himself. ¡°Thank God. I can¡¯t let them notice. Not yet,¡± she thought.

    Orion sighed heavily and approached, lowering himself onto one of the seats. He cleared his throat. ¡°Graham touched one of the doors. It forced him to enter. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to him. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll come back.¡±

    Robin paled. ¡°Oh my God,¡± she whispered. ¡°Is he going to be okay? Did you see what was behind the door?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know and no. I gave him my shield and he had those spikes of his so he may have a chance against whatever is there, but there¡¯s no way to be certain. More importantly, don¡¯t touch any of the doors, they may force you to enter.¡± He lifted his arm, showing her his mark. ¡°Something on the door seems to interact with these marks, though I¡¯m not sure how. I think Graham knew more than me, but he didn¡¯t have time to explain.¡±

    Robin raised her own arm, checking that her mark was still the same as the last time she saw it. VII, the numeral for seven, lay within a circle of strange characters. She sighed, placing a hand on her chest. She looked up, biting her lip. ¡°So¡­ w-what do we do?¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°Wait.¡±

    Robin wrung her hands. ¡°I-I see. But, how long? And what if he doesn¡¯t come back?¡±

    He frowned. ¡°We can afford to wait a few hours, at least, but I¡¯ve been thirsty for a while. I¡¯ll wait until I can¡¯t stand it anymore, then I¡¯ll try a door.¡±

    Robin nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do th-the same.¡± They were silent, staring at the fire. Robin played with her fingers, unsure of what to say to this imposing man. He didn¡¯t really seem the talkative sort. Her stomach growled and her eyes widened a moment. ¡°Was that¡­?¡± Her hand brushed her side, but there was no movement. She sighed. ¡°No, I guess it was just me. I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±

    She reached for a tuber and one of the sticks Orion had brought in for firewood¡ªwhich had turned out to be completely unnecessary due to the magical fire¡ªthen set the tuber over the fire to cook.

    Orion cleared his throat. ¡°So¡­ Gloria taught you how to find food out here? Got any tips? Y¡¯know¡­ for when we get out of here.¡±

    Robin blinked. ¡°Oh! Um, yes, I think so¡­¡± She tapped her chin, looking to the side. ¡°There was this plant with purple leaves and red veins. It was some kind of spice and it tasted pretty good with these tubers. Then there that tree with the spongy bark that you could eat. It wasn¡¯t very good.¡± She squinted. ¡°And¡­ something else¡­ but I can¡¯t remember.¡±

    She shifted her legs, causing the jacket in her lap to fall off. A fruit rolled out its pocket. Her eyes widened as its aroma drifted up to her. Her blood pumped and her mouth watered. She swallowed her spit and looked away, placing the fruit back in its pocket. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything about this, though.¡± She looked at Orion. ¡°Where did you find it?¡±

    ¡°Not me. Graham.¡± He leaned back and clasped his hands. ¡°On some hill that had a tree with blue leaves and black bark, from what I gather. He¡¯s a lucky bastard. Well¡­ maybe not that lucky.¡±

    Robin raised a brow. ¡°He¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°Remember how I told you Graham had been attacked by that bear before? Well, that hill is where he got those holes in that jacket.¡±

    Robin picked it up, poking a finger through one of the holes. There was dried blood around the edges. She grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how much that hurt.¡± A lot would be her guess. She certainly wouldn¡¯t want to imagine it.

    Orion chuckled. ¡°And before that, he was attacked by some kind of vine monster.¡±

    Robin¡¯s breath hitched, like something was wrapping around her chest and squeezing the life out of her. She clutched her chest until the feeling vanished.

    ¡°Even lost his shoe to the thing,¡± Orion continued.

    Robin laughed weakly, a hand pressed to her side.

    <hr>

    Graham¡¯s blood froze. He backed away from the mirror. ¡°That¡¯s very not normal.¡± Your reflection couldn¡¯t blink. Rather, you wouldn¡¯t see it, as your eyes are closed while blinking. The eerie display didn¡¯t stop there. The reflection wasn¡¯t copying his movements anymore. It reached out of the mirror, the glass rippling like water and offering no resistance. Graham¡¯s breath hitched as the entire reflection stepped out of the mirror. A perfect copy of him, down to every scratch.

    He tensed, observing the doppelganger closely. ¡°What do I do? Should I¡­ should I kill it?¡± He gulped. ¡°Can I?¡± The Copy stood tall, chin raised, meeting Graham¡¯s gaze. Graham reached for a spike, preparing himself to attack if should need be.

    The Copy smiled. ¡°No need for that, Graham,¡± it said with his voice. Graham flinched and brought the spike to his front, supporting it at the base with his other hand. He could stab with more force that way.

    ¡°Look, just tell me how to get past you,¡± Graham said, his eyes narrow. ¡°This is some kind of test, right? What are the rules?¡±

    The Copy clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°No test. No rules. The only way out is the way you came. You¡¯ve come to a dead end, Graham. Not that I expected more from you.¡±

    Graham frowned. ¡°The exit¡¯s gone. It¡¯s just a blank wall, now. What do you expect me to do? Break it down?¡±

    Copy sighed. ¡°Are you blind? Perhaps mother should have bought you glasses.¡± He turned. ¡°See there? In the mirror? The door is open, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was.

    Graham bared his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you know my Mom! You¡¯re just some kind of apparition. And that open door in the mirror is just an illusion or something.¡± He grabbed the shield and quickly strapped it to his arm.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to fight me, Graham. You¡¯re no good at it. Now if it were Orion¡­ I might be a little scared.¡±

    Graham¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°If Orion were here, you¡¯d be a reflection of him, not me.¡± He took a breath and looked around. ¡°The mark told me to be aware of my surroundings. Maybe there¡¯s something that can help me?¡±

    Copy smirked. ¡°And you¡¯re so sure of that? That I¡¯m just an illusion? Not so, Graham. Not so. I am you. The better you. What you could have been if you¡¯d used your full potential.¡± He spread his arms. ¡°This room? Only one of us can leave. So I hope you enjoy your new home.¡± He turned back to the mirror.

    Graham¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°I have to stop him!¡± he thought. He charged forward, shield raised. Copy spun and swept Graham¡¯s legs out from under him. He fell to the floor in a clatter. Copy grabbed one of his own spikes and stabbed down. Graham rolled to the side and regained his feet, facing his foe warily.

    He gulped. ¡°Alright, maybe he¡¯s not an illusion. This is concerning.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, seems you¡¯re reactions aren¡¯t that bad. Just a second slower and I¡¯d have skewered you,¡± Copy said. He squeezed his spike, making a cut on his arm ooze blood. As a perfect copy, he also had the same wounds as Graham. He licked the blood off, grimacing. ¡°If I¡¯d been the one going through the traps, I wouldn¡¯t have these. Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re inferior? I¡¯m the one that deserves to leave. Just set down your weapons and let me slit your throat. It¡¯ll be easier that way.¡±

    Graham snarled. ¡°You can go fuck yourself! You keep saying you¡¯re a better version of me, but you don¡¯t act like me at all!¡± He took a breath, calming himself. ¡°I¡¯m getting out of here, even if I have to kill you.¡±

    Copy balked. ¡°You kill me?! You don¡¯t have what it takes. Every time a sect came to Attela for recruitment, you signed up and failed. You¡¯ve always wanted to be a Seeker, but you couldn¡¯t do it, could you?¡±

    Graham flinched.

    ¡°But I could have. If it were me, I¡¯d be a Seeker already and this wouldn¡¯t even be a contest! If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted that money Dad gave us to start a business. I would¡¯ve done my research so I wouldn¡¯t get sued!¡±

    Graham grimaced. ¡°I¡ªhow could I have known that would¡ª¡± He pursed his lips and shook his head. ¡°Stop, that¡¯s not what this is about. Focus! I have to get to that mirror. If he can walk through it then maybe I can, too.¡±

    ¡°¡ªand Melissa wouldn¡¯t have left me. You loved her so much, but she didn¡¯t care about you. It was me¡ªwhat you could have been¡ªthat she was attracted to. And when she realized that you would never be me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Graham said, tossing one of his spikes. Copy side-stepped it. Graham charged, but Copy didn¡¯t move. Their shields clashed and Graham was stopped. He pushed against Copy, but Copy pushed just as hard back.

    Copy leaned over his shield and whispered in Graham¡¯s ear. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t, Graham. You¡¯re not getting past me.¡± He pushed harder and Graham began to slip backward. Copy¡¯s knee surged forward into Graham¡¯s thigh, right where he¡¯d been cut. Graham gasped and lost strength in his leg. Copy pushed him down and straddled him, getting in a few good punches before Graham threw him off.

    Before Copy could right himself, Graham bashed him in the head with the edge of his shield. Copy shouted and clutched his forehead as blood began to spill over his eye. Graham laughed, hoarse, and tongued the split in his lip. ¡°Not so great now, are you?¡±

    Copy frowned. ¡°Just a fluke.¡± He stood, taking a low stance. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. You know you can¡¯t beat me.¡±

    Graham exhaled slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t have to beat you. Just make it to the mirror.¡± His eyes flickered to the silvery glass. ¡°I can do this.¡±

 Chapter 8: The Standard

    The Standard

    I¡¯ve beaten myself up over plenty of things but never physically.

    . . . . .

    Graham and his Copy stared each other down. Copy didn¡¯t move far from the mirror, ensuring Graham couldn¡¯t get through it without getting through him. ¡°I need to pull him away from there. Make him more focused on the fight so he forgets about protecting the mirror.¡±

    He took stock of what he had: two spikes, one in hand; a shield; his clothes. ¡°It¡¯s not much. And he has three spikes. Not to mention¡­¡± His eyes landed on the spike he¡¯d thrown earlier. ¡°If he picks that up, he¡¯ll have four.¡±

    ¡°Have you given up, Graham? If you don¡¯t want to fight, then I guess I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Copy said.

    Graham grit his teeth. ¡°Y¡¯know what? Fine! You asked for it.¡± He shuffled forward with his shield up until he reached attacking distance. Copy lunged first, his spike seeking Graham¡¯s throat. Graham deflected and struck back, but Copy ducked and launched forward. His shoulder rammed into Graham¡¯s stomach, pushing him back.

    Graham managed to keep his footing and stabbed down at Copy¡¯s unprotected back. Copy pushed Graham¡¯s arm away and kneed him in the groin, but missed his mark. Seeing an opportunity, Graham shoved him to the side and ran for the mirror.

    Before he could reach it, Copy tackled his legs out from under him. He held on tight as Graham struggled. ¡°Get the fuck off me!¡± Graham shouted.

    Copy laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving, Graham!¡±

    Graham punched him in the face, once, twice, then shook his hand, cringing. ¡°Fuck, that hurt!¡± Copy¡¯s nose was bleeding but he ignored it and pulled himself forward with Graham¡¯s legs. He tried to punch Graham back, but Graham had placed his shield between them.

    Copy reached for a spike and started stabbing around the edge of the shield. Graham bared his teeth and angled the shield to stop the stabs but one got through, leaving a gash on his arm. He growled and lowered the shield, then headbutted his doppelganger, sending him reeling back. He pushed him off and scrambled to his feet, taking some distance.

    A lull ensued as they both caught their breath. Copy stood, holding his forehead, a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. ¡°Oh, Graham. If only you¡¯d tried this hard at the other aspects of your life. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t even be here?¡±

    Graham spat at the ground, blood mixed with saliva. ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± His eyes ran over this ¡®alternate¡¯ self. ¡°But maybe I¡¯d have turned out like you. A complete asshole.¡± He snorted. ¡°Spare me that.¡±

    Copy frowned. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand greatness if it punched you in the face! So, maybe I should do it a couple times. That oughta help you get the picture.¡± He ran at Graham once more and they clashed. They struggled against each other, each looking for an advantage, something that could turn the tide in their favor.

    Their struggle neared the wall and Graham shoved Copy into it with all his strength. He put a few punches into his gut. Copy spat blood into Graham¡¯s eyes, causing him to reel back, and stabbed a spike into his side.

    Graham yelled and stumbled back with his hands on his side. He fell on his ass, breathing heavily. He cringed every time his trembling hand bumped the protruding spike.

    Copy laughed, tilting his head to the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯ve won! I am your better!¡± His head lowered, face split by a triumphant grin. ¡°As it should be. I commend you for your struggle, though. You did better than I ever expected.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The gap was just too great.¡±

    Graham glared at him, breathing through his teeth. Sweat beaded on his forehead and arms, mixing with the blood all over him. Graham and his Copy no longer looked so similar. He tried to stand, but he couldn¡¯t put strength into his legs. ¡°I can¡¯t just let this happen! Just let this guy usurp my life? Fuck no!¡± He undid the straps on his shield and let it clatter to the ground then tried to stand again. The result was the same.

    The spike in his side shifted with every movement and he feared it might pierce an organ if he moved recklessly. That is if it hadn¡¯t already.

    Copy circled him, moving closer to the mirror. ¡°Well, I shan¡¯t stay to torture you. That¡¯s not really in my nature. Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send our parents your love. And maybe I¡¯ll look up Melissa?¡±

    Copy stopped a meter from the mirror that didn¡¯t reflect him, hands on his hips. ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡± He turned to look at Graham and, at the same time, a silver disk flew past him and struck the mirror, shattering it.

    Copy¡¯s jaw fell and cracks spread across his body as the fragments of the mirror hit the ground. And then he, too, shattered.

    Graham fell to his back, taking a deep breath. ¡°I should¡¯ve done that from the start. Might¡¯ve saved me a lot of pain.¡± The wall behind him shimmered as the door reappeared. Graham smiled.

    <hr>

    Orion stood. ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore. I¡¯m trying one.¡± He headed toward the door Graham had used.

    Robin hopped up, clutching Graham¡¯s jacket. ¡°O-Orion! Maybe you should wait¡­ just a bit longer¡­¡±

    Orion tried the door. It didn¡¯t budge. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow if you don¡¯t want to. But I¡¯m going.¡± He moved to the next door down the line.

    ¡°Wait, y-you don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind there! And what if Graham comes back in just a few minutes? He¡­ he could tell us about what was behind the door!¡±

    It was too late. Orion had already touched the handle of the second door. He drew his hand back with a hiss, a stream of red running down to the mark on his arm.

    Robin sank to her knees. ¡°I¡¯m going to be in here all alone. I¡­ should I try one of the doors, too?¡± She shook her head. It was just too uncertain. Any of the doors might offer salvation, but it was more likely they would bring death.

    Orion snorted, looking at the mark on his arm. ¡°Same thing as Graham¡¯s.¡± He glanced at Robin. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but it¡¯s in our best interests to investigate these doors. Nothing will happen if we just sit here.¡±

    Robin responded in a small voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen.¡± Her hand brushed her side and she frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to change.¡±

    Orion sighed and checked his mark. ¡°I have to go. Good luck.¡±

    Robin tilted her head, frowning. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one saying that?¡±

    ¡°Probably, yeah.¡± He turned the handle and entered.

    Robin swallowed the lump in her throat and crawled back to the fire, huddling her arms around her knees, Graham¡¯s Jacket draped over her shoulders. ¡°Hurry and get back, Graham¡­¡±

    <hr>

    Having rested enough, Graham pushed himself into a sitting position. The spike was still lodged in his side, and he wasn¡¯t willing to pull it out without one of the healing fruit on hand. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much choice. Whenever he moved, excruciating pain coursed through his torso. If he wanted to get out of here, he¡¯d have to take it out.

    He leaned himself against the wall and looked around for something to distract him from what he was about to do. His doppelganger was completely gone, as well as everything he held. Graham¡¯s shield lay on the ground next to the shattered fragments of the mirror. He chuckled. ¡°I feel like I need to apologize. Without that shield, I never would have made it this far. I¡¯m sorry Mr. Shield; I was wrong. You¡¯re useful.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He snickered at himself. ¡°Oh man, I think I¡¯m losing too much blood.¡± The spike had mostly stemmed the flow, but there was a steady seepage from the other cuts he¡¯d accumulated, particularly the gash in his arm.

    Graham¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Hang on. All of the copy¡¯s stuff vanished, so why is this spike still in my side?¡± It took him a few seconds to come to the conclusion. ¡°This is my own spike! Did I stab myself?!¡± His mind shook. All that time, he¡¯d been wrestling with an illusion. But it had been so convincing! Every blow felt real! He gulped. ¡°You can do this kind of stuff with sigils?¡±

    Sigils were truly formidable. It¡¯d be great if he could learn how to use them¡­ Graham shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be difficult to learn. And it won¡¯t help if I don¡¯t find a scripture, as I won¡¯t be able to use my Qi.¡±

    He shifted and hissed as the spike moved. ¡°First thing¡¯s first.¡± He did it quick, like a band-aid. He screamed as the spike came out and clamped his hand over the wound, doing his best to prevent too much blood loss. ¡°Gotta get back. I could really use that fruit right now.¡± He worked his way to his feet with one hand and limped over to the shield.

    A bright light shone from a fragment of glass, blinding him. ¡°What the¡ª¡± He blinked and reached down to pick it up. A flash of red pierced his arm and slithered to the mark, changing the message. At the same time, the fragment flew out of his hand and the mirror began to reassemble itself.

    The message read, You¡¯ve completed the first door. Choose two rewards. Graham¡¯s eyes widened and he laughed. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°How do I pick one?¡± Letters appeared on the mirror, glowing and ethereal. It showed his options for rewards.

    Standard Scripture - Purify the body and gain use of your Qi.

    Bestiary - A guide to the most common monsters.

    Apothecary¡¯s Primer - Learn to make basic salves, ointments, and poultices.

    Beginner¡¯s guide to Sigilcraft - An introduction to the basic principles of Sigilcraft.

    Spellbook: Thinwell - Draw water from thin air and gather it in your hand.

    Shield Talisman - Offers protection for a brief period. Rechargeable.

    Leather Armor - Flexible with decent protection. Each piece counts as one reward: Chest, vambraces, greaves, boots, gloves.

    Robe - Durable, hardy, easy to move in. Less protection than the leather armor.

    Graham whistled. ¡°Alright, maybe those two really do know what they¡¯re doing.¡± The guide to Sigilcraft was pretty enticing after what he¡¯d learned it could do, but he couldn¡¯t imagine being able to put it into practice anytime soon. The Scripture was a no-brainer. He needed it more than anything.

    He touched the option for the scripture and it glowed brighter. Graham loosed a breath. ¡°Alright, one more.¡± The Bestiary could be useful since it would give him information on the monsters he might meet, but the description said the most common monsters. What if this place only had unusual monsters?

    The Apothecary¡¯s Primer might¡¯ve been useful for Gloria, if she were sane, but it¡¯d probably be just as useful as the sigilcraft one for Graham. The armor and the robe didn¡¯t interest him, his clothes were holding together well enough and the armor wouldn¡¯t protect him from being bitten in half by a giant bear.

    It was down to the talisman and the spellbook. He chose the spellbook. ¡°The talisman can¡¯t be used frequently; it¡¯d just prolong death if I¡¯m faced with something powerful. At least with the spell, I won¡¯t have to worry about water.¡± That was provided he could learn it. He tapped the option and it glowed brighter.

    The mirror cracked and fell to pieces once more, revealing a compartment in the wall behind. It held a scroll and a book. He took them both and moved away from the glass on the floor. He sat down, moving slow and careful to avoid hurting himself further. He examined the scroll, laughter welling up from his chest.

    ¡°A scripture. I¡¯ve finally got one. Now I can be a Seeker!¡± He unrolled it with one hand¡ªas the other was bloody and he didn¡¯t want to dirty the scroll¡ªand placed it on the ground. ¡°The Standard Scripture, huh? I know a bit about this one. It¡¯s the most common one for people to use. Even so, normally you can only get your hands on it if you¡¯re recruited by a sect.¡±

    The Standard scripture was very basic. It didn¡¯t have the abilities or advantages that other, more specialized, scriptures enjoyed. For example, a scripture might give the ability to control water or give you iron-hard skin. The Standard scripture¡¯s only real advantage was its versatility.

    If you happened to find a scripture you liked better, you could easily change with minimal consequences. With other scriptures, it wasn¡¯t so. You might lose some of the power you cultivated, or it might not be possible at all without dissolving the power you¡¯d gained and starting over.

    He read the instructions: Place your hand in the center of the sigil and open yourself to the energy of the world. The sigil will draw the energy to you and it will course through your body, dislodging the impurities. Once your Qi pathways are clear enough to circulate, you will not need the sigil anymore.

    In the center of the scroll, there was a circular formation of strange characters with other geometric shapes within. Graham swallowed. ¡°If this is some kind of trap¡­ I mean, that¡¯d be really low.¡±

    He glanced around warily and stood, grunting and grasping his side. He shut the door to make sure there wouldn¡¯t be any fishy visitors while he was vulnerable, moved the scroll to the center of the room, and sat down in front of it. He took his hand away from his side, noting that the wound had stopped bleeding. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Still hurts, though.¡±

    He took a deep breath and reached his other hand for the sigil. Even before it made contact, a magnetic force drew his hand nearer. Contact; his world changed. Expanded. New, strange colors filled his vision; currents of... something¡­ battered at him. He remembered what the instructions said: open yourself to the energy of the world. So, he did. The currents drilled into him, turning his blood to magma, his muscles to stone, his skin to paper. The current pulsed through him, washing him this way and that way, chipping away little pieces of him and carrying them away.

    And then it stopped. He¡¯d raised his hand, removing it from the sigil. Sweat covered him from head to toe and his breath escaped him like wind through a mountain pass. There was energy still within him, moving, throbbing. It was intense and powerful and it made him want to move! To do something!

    He stood with no effort, the pain of his wounds dulled to the point he no longer noticed them. He picked up the shield, strapped it on, and left the room. Back in the previous room, he stood brazenly before the largest pond and waited for the fish to notice him. They began to leap from the water, arcing through the air at high speed.

    However, to Graham, they seemed slower than before. Every splash told him where a fish was coming from. He blurred into motion, swinging his shield about. One by one, they collided with the shield and Graham launched them into the mirror room. Soon, the pond was empty and Graham stood tall.

    The energy slowed and he fell to his knees, feeling stiff. He laughed. ¡°What the hell? I can¡¯t believe I did that!¡± He flexed his fingers to work out the stiffness. Standing, he looked at the pile of flopping fish in the other room. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have something else to eat.¡± He wouldn¡¯t even have to kill them. Just wait until they suffocated.

    He smirked at the sharp-finned fish flopping around in the other room. ¡°Serves you right! It¡¯s your fault I got so cut up so don¡¯t say you don¡¯t deserve it!¡±

    By the time the fish had stopped moving, the pain had returned, though it was lessened. Most of his cuts had scabbed over and some of the smaller ones had closed up. ¡°So circulating can even heal?¡± From what he gathered, he could only utilize his Qi temporarily, via circulation. Ten seconds seemed to be his limit.

    ¡°I assume I¡¯ll be able to go longer as I purify more of my body,¡± he thought. He gathered up all the fish and used a spike to remove the sharp fins, then he piled them onto the shield. ¡°Hopefully, Orion won¡¯t get mad. I don¡¯t really have another way to carry them back.¡±

    He glanced at the book he¡¯d picked and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll look at that later. I should really get back before those two start to worry.¡± He grabbed the book and the scroll and shoved them into his pockets. Picking up the shield o¡¯ fish, he went back to the watery room and stopped before the large pool.

    ¡°I bet I could jump right over if I circulate¡­¡± He closed his eyes and tried to feel the Qi that surrounded him. Minutes passed. His eyes opened. ¡°Guess I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± He set the shield down and pulled out the scripture, using the sigil. Energy rushed into him, swirling through every part of him. It was slower this time, almost sluggish. The sound of the waterfalls became louder; the scent of water, moss, and his own blood became stronger.

    He quickly rolled the scroll up and grabbed the shield. Tensing his legs and feeling the energy swell within, he leapt, clearing half the room in one go. He hit the ground, stumbling and falling to his knees as the energy deserted him again. His body was stiff and it had begun to ache, mostly in the chest and at the joints.

    He grimaced and flexed his fingers, popping sounds ringing out. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t just do that over and over. There¡¯s a toll or something. Will it go away, or do I just have to deal with this?¡±

    He stood and stretched a bit, moving his limbs until they no longer cracked. He winced as the ache spread to his head, throbbing behind his eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not unbearable. Certainly unpleasant, though.¡±

    He continued on. He waited a bit when he reached the steam trap, hoping the ache would go away so he could circulate again. Once it began to fade, he pulled out the scripture and, with the aid of circulation, leapt over the trap. He landed, taking a few steps to lose the momentum. ¡°Better. I didn¡¯t stumble.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°God, this is great. It¡¯s like I¡¯m a superhero, now!¡± The energy faded again and the world became less vibrant, his hearing less sharp, his sense of smell dull. The ache returned.

    Graham sighed. ¡°Everything has its price, right?¡±

 Chapter 9: Parasite

    Parasite

    When something is wrong with you, it¡¯s hard to tell someone. It¡¯s humiliating and demeaning and you don¡¯t want people to know. But you won¡¯t get help if no one knows there¡¯s a problem.

    . . . . .

    The door shut. Hot pins stabbed his arm as the mark changed. Orion read the message, This room contains fortune. Whether it is good or bad is up to your luck.

    ¡°Luck?¡± Orion thought. A staircase led up and to his right. He followed it. At the top was a door, white with gold engravings and a depiction of a coin on it. His eyes narrowed and he grasped the handle. Nothing happened. He loosed a breath and entered.

    It led to a large room. To the left, many openings lined the wall, letting light in. Orion¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°There aren¡¯t any windows on this tower¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t see out of them, just bright white light shining in.

    In the center of the room stood a table, covered in an elegant blue cloth. The table was small and squat. Atop it sat a coin, glittering gold in the light from the pseudo-windows. Orion approached the table and examined the coin. ¡°We haven¡¯t had coins like that since the Second Era. This must be worth a fortune.¡±

    An austere and dignified woman¡¯s face was engraved on the face of the coin. Orion squinted. ¡°I recognize her. The Last Empress¡­ she died during the Schism, when the mortals and the Seekers went to war with each other.¡±

    He picked up the coin and sharp pain shot down his arm, changing the message once more. This coin will decide your fortune. Heads, and you may leave with your reward. Tails, and you must fight your way out. If you can.

    Orion turned the coin over, revealing a crow with wings spread and talons poised to strike. He looked around, noticing three levers on the wall opposite the windows. ¡°What are those for?¡± he wondered. He stuck the coin in his pocket and went to investigate. It never said he had to flip it right now¡­

    The levers were made of wood and set into the wall. They didn¡¯t seem to be connected to anything and they were each a few meters apart. He glanced at his arm and shrugged. ¡°This place seems to be about luck. I guess I¡¯ll just pick one?¡±

    He chose the one in the center and pulled it down. A compartment opened in the wall next to it and a broken sword tumbled out, clattering on the ground. It was just a handle and less than half of a blade. Its end was jagged where it¡¯d been broken.

    Orion poked at it with a foot. ¡°I¡¯m guessing I didn¡¯t win. What about the others?¡± he moved to the next lever and tried to pull it down. It wouldn¡¯t budge. He tried harder, putting his weight into it. It snapped. He huffed and tossed the wooden stick away then tried the last one. It didn¡¯t move, either. He gave up.

    He picked up the broken sword. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to do.¡± There was nothing else to look at. No door leading out of the room. Going back wouldn¡¯t solve anything, so there was only one more thing to do.

    Flip the coin. So, he did.

    It spun in the air, glittering prettily, then fell. It bounced off the ground, once, twice, thrice, then spun until it stopped. Tails.

    <hr>

    The quiet roar of the flame and the rasp of her own breath were the only sounds that accompanied Robin in her empty prison. She was alone, and she hated it. The doors taunted her, demanding her attention. Demanding she enter. But there was no telling what she would find behind them.

    She looked away, laying on her side in the hopes of getting some sleep. She couldn¡¯t worry if she wasn¡¯t conscious. ¡°Ohhhh, somebody come back. Graham, Orion, Daddy¡­ anybody¡­¡± Tears began to well in her eyes and she dashed them away. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. They¡¯ll be back before you know it. You just have to wait a bit. Just a bit.¡±

    She closed her eyes and minutes passed. The worries that plagued her began to soften, floating away like mist. Then she heard a sound. Her eyes snapped open and she stared at a door with a jiggling doorknob. ¡°What is it?! A-A monster? Can they open doors?!¡± She grabbed one of the sticks and scrambled to the other side of the room, pressing her back against the wall.

    ¡°D¡­ Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t come in¡ª¡±

    The door opened¡­ and Graham stepped through. A wave of relief hit her so hard she nearly passed out. ¡°Graham!¡± She leapt to her feet and ran to him, throwing her arms around him and pressing her face into his chest.

    Graham grunted at the impact, nearly dropping his shield. ¡°Uh, Robin? ...nice to see you, too.¡± He coughed. ¡°Uh¡­ you¡¯re holdin¡¯ kinda tight.¡±

    Robin flinched away, releasing him. She stumbled a few steps back, waving her arms in front of her. ¡°W¡ªIt¡¯s¡­ I-I was worried, is, is all. S-Sorry to, uh¡­ sorry.¡± She wrung her hands, cheeks turning red.

    Graham scratched his cheek, chuckling. ¡°No worries. Everything alright?¡± He looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Orion?¡±

    Robin raised her head to answer and her eyes widened. She pointed a hand at him. ¡°G-Graham, you¡­ blood¡­¡± She covered her mouth. Graham was covered in blood, staining his clothes and sticking to his skin.

    Graham blinked and looked at his arms. ¡°Oh. Yeah. I ran into some trouble. But, don¡¯t worry. I handled it.¡± He set his shield down and scraped at some dried blood on his arm.

    Robin nodded repeatedly. ¡°Right. Right. You handled it. Right. T-That¡¯s good.¡± She grimaced. ¡°What did you handle?¡±

    Graham ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and I¡¯ll tell you about what happened?¡±

    Robin nodded and took a seat. Graham followed suit, sitting next to her. He narrated his venture into the realm beyond the door, embellishing only slightly.

    ¡°So, I got past the traps without a scratch, but then there were these fish with bladed fins! I had no choice but to wade through the water to continue forth, meaning that I¡¯d have to deal with them.¡±

    Robin gasped. ¡°What did y-you do?¡±

    Graham cleared his throat. ¡°Well, I thought about jumping over, but I wasn¡¯t sure I could make the gap. In the end, all I could do was wade through as fast as possible. So, yeah, I got a few scratches. It wasn¡¯t that big a deal.¡±

    Her eyes fell on one of the long scabs on his arm and she paled. ¡°Not a big deal?! That looks horrible!¡±

    Graham got up and pulled the shield over. ¡°I actually managed to catch them all, later. I figured we could grill them up¡­ too bad Orion¡¯s not here. I figured he¡¯d be the happiest,¡± he said, chuckling.

    Robin nodded absently, eyes still on his arm. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s why you¡¯re covered in blood? The fish?¡±

    Graham rubbed his chin. ¡°Well¡­ not entirely. In the room after that, the last one, I ran into something a bit strange. There was this mirror and¡­ well, it made a copy of me.¡±

    Robin furrowed her brow. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, a copy. Like a second me. Except, he kinda hated my guts and wanted to kill me.¡±

    Robin¡¯s jaw fell as she imagined evil Robin popping out of her bathroom mirror with knife and cruel grin. She shuddered.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad. We fought for a while, and I was winning, but he was tough,¡± Graham said, puffing his chest out. ¡°And then, I realized. If he came from the mirror, then I should just destroy it. So, I threw the shield at the mirror.¡± He reached into his pockets and pulled out his rewards. ¡°And then I got these for completing the ¡®challenge¡¯.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    He showed her the scripture and the spellbook. ¡°It was just like I thought. This tower did have a scripture!¡±

    Robin tilted her head. ¡°So that¡¯s a scripture? I thought it¡¯d look a bit more¡­ impressive.¡± It was just a wooden stick with paper wrapped around it. It wasn¡¯t very thick, either. Her eyes shifted to the book. ¡°So, what¡¯s that?¡±

    Graham smiled. ¡°Something I figured would be a little useful. This is a spellbook that will teach me how to gather water from the surroundings. We won¡¯t need to go looking for a stream the next time we¡¯re thirsty. Well¡­ once I learn it. I haven¡¯t tried yet.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Robin breathed. ¡°I never knew Seekers could cast spells. I thought magic was just something from storybooks.¡±

    Graham raised a brow. ¡°You seem woefully uninformed on the basics of Seeking. Did you just sleep through History class?¡±

    Robin blushed. ¡°Wha¡ªno! ...Sometimes. Maybe a little.¡± She brought her fingers together with a tiny gap between them.

    Graham laughed and set the book aside. ¡°Anyway, you should use the scripture. It¡¯ll really help out if you¡¯re ever in danger.¡± He unrolled it, revealing the sigil.

    Robin squeaked as a writhing pain formed in her side. ¡°What? No! Nononono. Stop!¡± Something crawled up and over her shoulder, slithering in and out of her skin. She screamed.

    <hr>

    Graham flinched back as Robin screamed and curled in on her side. ¡°Hey! Robin, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. She hissed through her teeth as sweat beaded on her forehead.

    Graham grimaced. ¡°Fuck, what do I do? I knew something was strange. Shoulda talked to her about it earlier, when I had the chance.¡±

    He put a hand on her shoulder and whispered, ¡°Robin. What¡¯s wrong? Are you injured? Can I¡ª¡± He stopped as he noticed something strange. There was something moving under her shirt, gradually working its way up to her other shoulder. His stomach turned as he imagined what it might be.

    Robin groaned. ¡°It hurts! Make it stop.¡± Tears dripped from her eyes. ¡°I want my daddy¡­¡±

    Graham set himself, his eyes turning steely. ¡°Robin, try to stay still.¡± He reached for her sleeve and pulled it back, revealing what was underneath.

    Writhing green tentacles crept over her shoulder and toward her arm. Graham swallowed his spit. ¡°Alright. I know what the problem is. Now, how to fix it?¡±

    Robin sobbed as one of the tentacles burrowed into her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she cried. ¡°I should¡¯ve told you! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Graham lifted her cheek so she¡¯d meet his eyes. ¡°Can you tell me what it is? What is it trying to do?¡± Graham asked.

    Robin sniffed and cringed as the tentacle came back out. There was no blood, but seeing her skin shift as the thing crawled underneath was plenty to convince Graham it hurt. ¡°I¡ªI think it¡¯s a parasite. J-James and Gloria had one, too. I think I... I got it from them.¡±

    The tentacle was halfway to her elbow. Graham rubbed his forehead, brow furrowed deep. ¡°The scripture¡­¡± he said. He blinked and picked it up. ¡°Put your hand on this mark, Robin! The scripture can purify your body; it might get rid of the parasite, because it¡¯s foreign to you.¡±

    She bit her lip and stretched her hand out. The tentacle moved faster, as if it didn¡¯t want her to reach it. It had reached her elbow. She stretched out her other arm instead, making contact with the sigil.

    The air around her began to shimmer and the tentacle emitted a high-pitched screech. It doubled back and began to wrap around her neck, squeezing so she couldn¡¯t breathe. Graham grabbed it, pulling it away. ¡°Keep going, Robin! I think it¡¯s working!¡±

    As he struggled with the surprisingly powerful vine, it began to shrink and lose its color. Its movement slowed as Robin circulated energy through her body. ¡°Looks like she¡¯s not in pain anymore. She¡¯s got it on the ropes. Just a bit more, Robin.¡±

    She gasped and removed her hand, falling backward. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t stop now, it¡¯s not dead!¡± He pulled her back upright and placed her hand on the sigil.

    She nodded, eyes narrowed and focused on her task. However, only seconds later, she took her hand away, holding it to her chest. ¡°I-I can¡¯t! It¡¯s not working!¡± She looked at her shoulder. The tentacle was pale green and unmoving. It had thinned, but it was still worked into her skin in places.

    With a trembling hand, she grasped one of the small tentacles winding around her arm. It wrapped around her finger sluggishly and she squeaked, pulling her hand away. ¡°It¡¯s not¡ªIt¡¯s still alive¡­¡± She frowned and looked at Graham. ¡°What do I do now?¡±

    Graham rubbed his face and leaned back. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not really doing anything, which is better than before. Maybe it¡¯s half-dead?¡± He frowned. ¡°We might have bought you some time. Maybe the scripture couldn¡¯t handle it on its own.¡±

    He leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. ¡°What the hell is that thing, anyway?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I think it¡¯s some kind of sentient¡­ vine.¡± She sighed, unable to take her eyes off her arm. Graham¡¯s eyes widened and he looked at her, gesturing for her to continue. She did. ¡°Well¡­ after the lady, uh¡­ Sarah?¡±

    ¡°Seraphim.¡±

    ¡°Right. After she left, Gloria invited me to come with her and James. Most people were going with Will, but she didn¡¯t like him for some reason. I¡­ I¡¯m not really sure why James came with, though.¡± She swallowed. ¡°The first night was fine. James didn¡¯t really talk to me, but Gloria was really nice and she seemed to want me to be comfortable.¡± She laughed. ¡°I think she felt sorry for me after my outburst.¡±

    Graham scratched his cheek. ¡°Uh, sorry I kinda¡­ ignored you. I was in a hurry to leave.¡±

    Robin shook her head, patting his arm. ¡°Anyway, the next day, we were attacked by the sentient vine. We managed to fight it off, but Gloria wanted to see what it was.¡±

    ¡°Right. She was a botanist. I guess she¡¯d have some professional curiosity,¡± Graham said.

    Robin nodded. ¡°She couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity and she ignored my and James¡¯ warnings. James followed her, but I was too scared so I stayed behind. When they came back¡­ they were different.¡±

    Graham¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°How so? Was it as bad as when you met us?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Not to that degree. They just seemed¡­ off. They were closer, and Gloria didn¡¯t talk to me as much. But, as the day went on, they started acting weirder and weirder.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°The next day, I woke up to a pain in my side.¡± She brushed her hand over it. ¡°Something had latched onto me, and I couldn¡¯t get it off. I told Gloria, but she didn¡¯t listen or didn¡¯t care. That¡¯s when I realized something was really wrong.¡±

    Graham nodded, chewing on his thumb. ¡°I think I ran into the same creature. Not long after I left the clearing, a vine snagged my ankle and tried to drag me away.¡±

    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t go see what it was?¡±

    Graham snorted. ¡°No. I booked it as soon as I could.¡±

    Robin laughed. ¡°I wish Gloria had felt the same way.¡± Her smile faded into a frown. ¡°Poor Gloria. Poor James. They must¡¯ve been taken over by the parasite.¡±

    Graham pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we can do anything for them. Chances are they¡¯re long gone.¡± He didn¡¯t make it clear whether he meant physically or mentally.

    Robin nodded absently, chewing on her lip. ¡°D¡­ Do you think I¡¯ll ever get this thing off? I don¡¯t like looking at it and I-I can feel it. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, but it feels so strange. It¡¯s gonna drive me crazy.¡± She looked up at him, like a little girl asking her dad for candy. ¡°D-Do you think I could wear your jacket? I just don¡¯t want to look at my arm¡­¡±

    Graham blinked. ¡°Oh, yeah, of course. I don¡¯t really need it anyway. Hold on¡­¡± He reached into the pocket and pulled out the fruit. The vine on Robin¡¯s arm twitched as he did, but that was all.

    Graham narrowed his eyes. ¡°This thing is attracted to the fruit. And it seemed to be attracted to the scripture as well¡­ what does it want with them?¡±

    Robin played with her fingers. ¡°Um, well, what do they have in common?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ The fruit heals injuries and the scripture helps you circulate Qi... Wait! Circulating Qi actually healed me a little!¡± He showed her a red mark that used to be a cut. It had closed up after he Circulated the first time.

    Robin frowned. ¡°What does that mean, though?¡±

    Graham smiled. ¡°It means, maybe the fruit isn¡¯t meant to heal. Maybe that¡¯s a side effect and it just contains a lot of Qi. So, when you eat it, you heal. Maybe. I don¡¯t know, maybe it does heal you, but it happens to do so with Qi.¡±

    Robin tilted her head. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying the vine likes Qi?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯m not sure why, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Robin put Graham¡¯s jacket on and sighed. ¡°I still don¡¯t see how knowing that will help me get rid of it¡­¡±

    Graham rubbed his mouth, staring into the fire. ¡°After I beat my doppelganger, I didn¡¯t just get the scripture and the spellbook. I got options. I think one of the rewards could help¡­ I¡¯d say either the Bestiary or the Apothecary Primer. I guess it depends if the vine monster is considered more a monster or a plant.¡±

    Robin sat up and put her knees under her. ¡°So if we got those, we might find a way to kill it!¡± she shouted. She grasped her arm over Graham¡¯s jacket, laughing. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to get this thing off!¡±

    Graham chuckled and nodded. ¡°Yep. But, in order to do that, we¡¯ll have to go through one of the doors. And, just to be safe, we should probably get both.¡± He frowned. ¡°I gained two rewards from the door I completed, but I¡¯m not sure every door will give so many. I think it¡¯d be best if we both went in another door.¡±

    Robin paled. ¡°Y-You want me to¡­ to go in there¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I-I can¡¯t! There¡¯s n-no way I could fight some copy of myself. I¡¯d be too scared!¡±

    Graham grimaced. ¡°You won¡¯t necessarily face a doppelganger. The challenges are probably different every time. Though, I will admit that they¡¯re difficult.¡± Robin whimpered. Graham put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°But don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re not the same as you were before!¡±

    Robin¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    Graham smiled. ¡°You used the scripture just now. You¡¯re not a normal person anymore. You¡¯re a Seeker, Robin.¡±

    Her jaw fell further.

    ¡°So, what do you say? Are you up for it?¡±

 Chapter 10: Coin Toss

    Coin Toss

    I never liked the idea of luck. I preferred to think that you could do anything if you worked hard enough. It made me feel better about my chances of becoming a Seeker, even though several sects rejected me. Funnily enough, I¡¯m now a Seeker, simply because I was chosen to participate in some crazy survival game. Is that luck? Or just a coincidence?

    . . . . .

    Three openings appeared in the walls but, this time, no weapons fell out. Instead, Orion was faced with three horned lizards. They were each the size of a pit-bull and had sturdy red scales. Every time they moved, the scales rubbed together and emitted hot sparks.

    Orion took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. Not too bad. They seem sturdy enough.¡± He flipped the broken sword in his hand and looked around. He frowned. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no other way, huh?¡±

    He ran forward and punted one of the lizards across the room. It smacked into the wall, a shower of sparks punctuating the blow. A whip of heat hit him in the lower back. He spun and pat out the fire. One of the other two whirled in a circle and dragged its tail on the ground, sparks flying. Its tail caught fire and the lizard let fly a second whip of flame at Orion.

    ¡°Damn. Some kind of fire lizards? This might get difficult.¡± He ducked the flames and charged toward his aggressor. The other lizard blew a stream of smoke at him, obscuring his vision. He waved his arms to clear it, just in time to duck another whip. He grit his teeth and rolled forward, getting close enough to smack Smokey on his head with the pommel of the sword. Smokey went down.

    ¡°One left.¡±

    Orion tried to close in on the last one, but it was wary. It constantly spun in circles dragging its scales along the ground. As he closed in, it hissed and rolled deftly, its entire body catching aflame. Unfazed by the fire, it leapt at Orion!

    He dodged, grimacing at the intense heat as the lizard passed by. ¡°I should¡¯ve brought some sunscreen.¡± He wiped some sweat from his brow. ¡°Can¡¯t let that thing touch me. I¡¯ll cook in an instant.¡±

    Orion dodged and weaved around the fiery little reptile. He gained a few singes when it glanced his arm, the skin turning red almost immediately. He set his jaw and continued dodging. If he couldn¡¯t endure a bit of pain, the lizard would kill him.

    Finally, his chance came. After a minute of burning, whatever it was that fueled the fire had run out. There was less fire and more smoke coming off its body. It seemed to notice this truth and started spinning again to relight the fire... to no effect.

    Orion reeled his arm back and threw his sword, hard as he could. It whirled through the air, wind rushing noisily. The lizard heard it and dodged. But that was what Orion wanted. He flanked it from the side, one of its unconscious companions held by the tail. Just as it was distracted with the sword, Orion spun, igniting his reptilian weapon, and slammed the two together. They erupted in a storm of sparks and fire, bright enough that Orion had to shield his eyes.

    The light faded, revealing the two, charred black and twitching. Orion loosed a breath and looked to the ceiling. ¡°Hey, I beat them! What¡¯s next?¡± He smiled. ¡°And I managed to do it without killing them. Not bad.¡±

    The mark on his arm changed, Congratulations. You¡¯ve won a second chance. Flip again.

    He searched the floor for a telltale golden glint. He found it underneath the lizard he¡¯d kicked into the wall. The coin was a bit charred, but it seemed fine. At least, he could still tell which side was heads.

    ¡°So, do I just keep flipping ¡®til I get heads?¡± He frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not good. If I keep getting tails, I¡¯ll probably have to fight wave after wave of monsters. Eventually, they¡¯ll wear me down.¡± Statistically, it wouldn¡¯t be that strange to get tails several times in a row.

    He sighed and set the coin on his hand. No point wasting time. The coin spun, rising into the air, then clinked on the stones of the ground. It bounced, then again, and rolled in a circle. Then it fell. Tails.

    Orion pinched the bridge of his nose.

    <hr>

    Graham frowned and flipped a page. ¡°So¡­ focus Qi into your hand and just¡­ swirl it like a vortex?¡± If it sounded simple, that was because he was simplifying. If that was all he had to do, it wouldn¡¯t need to be more than a sheet of paper. Most pages were taken up with calculations describing the optimal speed and dimensions of the vortex for the best effect. Math wasn¡¯t Graham¡¯s strong suit, so he skipped them.

    ¡°Maybe I can ask Orion to help me out when he gets back? I mean¡­ he¡¯s an accountant, right? He¡¯s gotta be good at math.¡±

    There was even a page dedicated to the¡ªsomewhat minor¡ªeffects of rotating clockwise compared to counter-clockwise. He skipped that, too.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really need to understand those. As long as I can gather some water, I can afford to waste a bit of energy,¡± he thought. He glanced at Robin, who was picking at the vines on her arm. They responded to her touch lethargically, like a roommate that didn¡¯t want to wake up.

    ¡°Hey, can you pass me the scripture?¡± he asked. She was currently waiting until she recovered enough to circulate again, in the hopes that it would finish off the parasite. She looked up, slipping her arm back in its sleeve, and got up. She rolled up the scroll and brought it over, sitting next to him.

    ¡°So¡­ do you think you can do it?¡± she asked.

    Graham spread the scroll out in front of him. ¡°Maybe. The bad part is that I only have a short window to do it.¡±

    She tilted her head. ¡°You do?¡±

    He nodded, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. ¡°I can only circulate for ten seconds¡­ roughly.¡± He peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. ¡°You didn¡¯t feel the energy fading after a few seconds?¡±

    She furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I was kinda busy¡­¡±

    Graham smiled faintly. ¡°True.¡± He placed his hand on the sigil and felt the energy rush into him, filling him with temporary strength. He grasped his wrist and raised his hand to eye level, coaxing the energy down his arms and to the tips of his fingers. It moved in waves, each time going a bit further like an incoming tide.

    Finally, he could feel the buzzing energy gathered in his fingers, eager to be released. He visualized the energy spiraling around a point in the center of his palm, going faster and faster. He shut everything out and focused his mind on that one task. The air around his hand began to shimmer and twist.

    Graham frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not going fast enough. I¡¯m gonna run out of time.¡± He furrowed his brow and willed it to speed up. The shimmering grew more pronounced, distorting the area around his hands as if he¡¯d plunged them under turbulent water.Stolen novel; please report.

    The vortex spun, faster and faster. It began to lose ragged bits of energy, sending them drifting into the air until they disappeared. Graham could feel his hand stiffening. ¡°Damn! That means I¡¯m reaching the limit.¡±

    He let out his breath and relaxed, the stiffness settling into his joints as the energy left him. He flexed his hand carefully, noting a thin layer of moisture on his palm.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t work?¡± Robin asked.

    Graham shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get the vortex to spin fast enough. But, I think I can get it with some more practice.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°You think you¡¯re ready to try circulating again?¡±

    Robin looked at her hands and nodded. ¡°I think so. I mean, it couldn¡¯t hurt¡­¡± Her eyes widened and met his. ¡°Could it? It won¡¯t hurt, right?¡±

    Graham pursed his lips. ¡°It might, if you tried over and over again. Circulating seems to leave your joints stiff for some reason, and it gets worse the more you do it.¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°I¡¯m really not sure why. I¡¯ve watched plenty of Seeker Battles and never seen any of them acting¡­ stiff or whatever.¡±

    Robin frowned. ¡°Um¡­ Seeker Battles?¡±

    Graham¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°You don¡¯t know about Seeker Battles? It¡¯s like¡­ one of the most popular things to watch!¡±

    Robin winced and shrugged helplessly. ¡°None of my friends watch it and I¡¯m usually up in the air.¡±

    ¡°Huh? The air?¡± Graham asked.

    Robin smiled. ¡°Oh, right. Did I not tell you? I¡¯m a pilot.¡±

    He raised his brows. ¡°Like, an airplane pilot? Is that safe?¡±

    Robin waved her hands in front of her. ¡°Oh, totally! I actually spread monster repellent around farms to protect the crops, so the flying monsters leave me alone¡­ on account of the repellent.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± He squinted. ¡°From the way she acts you¡¯d never think it¡­¡± he thought. ¡°So, what¡¯s it like up there? I¡¯ve never been in one.¡±

    Robin nodded sagely. ¡°Yeah, there aren¡¯t many.¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s really great being in the air. Total freedom and no worries. It¡¯s really relaxing.¡±

    Graham grinned. ¡°No worries except possible impending doom if you make a mistake.¡±

    Robin huffed, slapping his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m a very good pilot! Seven hundred hours in the air with no crash to speak of!¡± She lowered her head and sighed. ¡°But¡­ I got fired. A couple days before¡­¡± She waved her hand around. ¡°All this.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    She stuck her lip out. ¡°My manager was promoted and someone else took her place. She used to let me fly the plane an extra few hours after I was done spreading repellent. I didn¡¯t really consider that my new boss wouldn¡¯t¡­ so I didn¡¯t ask¡­¡± She rested her cheek in a hand. ¡°He didn¡¯t like that. So, now I can¡¯t fly. And there aren¡¯t really any other jobs that would let me fly, either.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, you should hurry and build a Foundation. Then, you¡¯ll be able to fly without a plane.¡±

    Robin blinked. Her jaw fell and she grabbed his shoulders. ¡°What?! Are you serious?!¡±

    Graham smiled and removed her hands. ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t you see Seraphim flying away?¡±

    She slapped her hand over her face. ¡°No!¡± She groaned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I mean, there was a man dying in front of us! How could I notice anything else?¡±

    Graham set his jaw, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Yeah, good point.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I guess that makes me the weird one. Do I lack empathy?¡± He sighed and shook his head. He blamed the internet. It desensitized him, considering all the shocking things you could find on there.

    He stood and worked some of the stiffness out of his shoulders. ¡°You should give circulating another go. I¡¯m gonna get some sleep.¡± He hopped onto the ring of seats and lay down.

    ¡°Um¡­ okay. Goodnight,¡± Robin said.

    <hr>

    Robin grimaced as her shoulder popped. Then the other. An elbow, her knee, her wrist, the other wrist. She could hardly move after circulating for the third time. She flexed her hands a few times and sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, but it¡¯s really uncomfortable,¡± she thought.

    She slipped the jacket over her shoulder, pulling out her arm to check on the vine. It was still there, snaking around her forearm. It was about as thick as a pen and it didn¡¯t seem like it was going to shrink any more.

    She groaned. ¡°I wish it would just get off!¡± The vine moved. Robin squeaked. It slithered back up her arm and past her shoulder, leaving her arm bare. ¡°D¡­ Did it just do what I told it to?¡± She brought up her trembling arm and thought, ¡°Come back.¡±

    It moved again, curling up and around her arm, wrapping itself snugly against her. Robin couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Graham! Graham, wake up!¡± She crawled over and shook him awake. He stirred and she tried to tell him the situation in one breath.

    ¡°I circulated a few times like you asked me and the vine didn¡¯t die and I feel stiff all over and I told it to go away and it did, then I told it to come back and it did and I don¡¯t know what to do!¡±

    Graham blinked hazily and rolled over, closing his eyes. Robin¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°Graham! I¡¯m having a crisis here!¡± Her eyes narrowed and she brought a hand close to his face. She closed her eyes in focus and the vine stretched out to caress his cheek.

    Graham flinched and smacked it away. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± He propped himself up on his elbows and stared at the vine hanging from her arm. It waved at him.

    ¡°Are you awake, now?¡± she asked, frowning.

    Graham gulped and nodded.

    Robin sighed and made the vine retract. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s listening to me. I don¡¯t know why, but it does what I want it to.¡±

    Graham pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to tell you¡­ I have no idea why it¡¯s doing that.¡± He put his hands in his lap. ¡°If there was something more I could do, I promise I would but¡­ I¡¯m at a loss here.¡± He looked towards one of the doors. ¡°The only thing I can think of is to get those books and see if there¡¯s any information on it.¡±

    Robin nodded sullenly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you like that. I was¡­ I was just scared, I guess.¡± She wrapped her arms around her knees. ¡°Do you think we should go, now?¡±

    Graham shook his head. ¡°I want to wait for Orion. I¡¯m interested in what his door was like. And, who knows? Maybe he already picked the bestiary or the apothecary primer? It might save us some trouble.¡±

    Robin smiled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good point.¡± It¡¯d be nice to have Orion back. He wasn¡¯t very talkative, but he seemed reliable. And from the way he took out Gloria and James, he¡¯d be a great help if they were attacked. Robin would take all the help she could get in that department.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Graham wincing and adjusting his shoes. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°You must¡¯ve been walking quite a bit the last day or two. I hope you don¡¯t have any blisters.¡±

    Graham paled and slipped his feet to the ground, ensuring the seats blocked them from her vision. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Just adjusting the laces, is all.¡±

    Robin frowned and recalled a conversation she¡¯d had with Orion. ¡°He said Graham had lost his shoe¡­ But he has both, now.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Should I ask him?¡± Normally, she wouldn¡¯t be so nosy, but Graham was lying. She knew he was. Nobody was that evasive when they didn¡¯t have something to hide.

    Her gut twisted at the thought that Graham was hiding something. ¡°What is it? Something that Graham doesn¡¯t want me to know.¡± The possibilities spun around her mind. What if he¡¯s not really nice and just wants her to lower her guard? What if he¡¯s secretly a murderer? Maybe he attacked one of the other players before she met him?

    Every thought, every possibility, every ¡®unknown¡¯ caused the knot in her stomach to twist tighter. She shook her head, almost hunched over with imaginary pain. ¡°I have to ask. Just ask! I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a very good liar, so all I have to do is ask! And if he tries to avoid the question again, then I¡¯ll know something¡¯s up.¡±

    She took deep breaths to calm her nerves. Then something touched her shoulder. She squeaked and flinched away. Graham crouched in front of her, looking concerned. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked. ¡°You looked like you were having trouble breathing.¡±

    Robin gaped, eyes swimming. ¡°Uh, well¡­ yes. I-I¡¯m fine.¡± She nodded frantically. ¡°Just fine. Nothing to worry about.¡±

    Graham smiled and the knot in her stomach untwisted a little. ¡°Good. I¡¯m just going to give that spell another go. Maybe I can get it to work this time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, alright. Good luck!¡± She smiled weakly as he sat on the floor and flipped through the spellbook. When she was sure he wasn¡¯t paying attention, she sighed. ¡°That scared me. But¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s pretending to be nice¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Still, I wonder what he¡¯s hiding?¡±

    She didn¡¯t have long to think on it as one of the doors clicked open.

 Chapter 11: Choices

    Choices

    Your decisions don¡¯t really matter much in a game. No matter what, the consequences of choosing wrong aren¡¯t dire. At worst, you just have to start over. But, in real life, choices can be a life or death matter. So, choose wisely and choose quickly.

    . . . . .

    The door opened and Orion stumbled through, wearing a loose grey robe. It came down to his calves and was secured by a white belt around the waist. Graham tilted his head. ¡°Why¡¯s he wearing that?¡± he wondered.

    Orion began coughing, hunched over with his hands on his knees. Graham looked at Robin, who seemed stunned, then he approached Orion and slapped his back a few times. Orion smelled strongly of ash and soot. ¡°Are you alright? What happened in there?¡± Graham asked.

    Orion coughed a bit more then stood, wiping some soot from his cheek. ¡°Nothing good. That¡¯s what.¡± He leaned back against the wall and slid to a seat. ¡°I was attacked by these fire lizards, just wave after wave of them.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought my luck would be that bad?¡±

    Robin approached and knelt next to Graham, in front of Orion. ¡°Luck?¡±

    Orion nodded. ¡°I had to flip a coin.¡± He reached into his robe and pulled it out.

    Graham quirked a brow. ¡°You took it?¡±

    Orion grinned. ¡°Well, yeah. After all the trouble it put me through, I figured I deserved it. Here, look.¡± He held it up so Graham could get a good look. ¡°That¡¯s the Last Empress, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Graham squinted. ¡°Yeah, I think it is. Damn, these are rare.¡±

    Orion chuckled. ¡°I thought so. Anyway, if it¡¯d landed on heads, I wouldn¡¯t have had to do anything. I¡¯d just get a reward and go on my way. But I¡­ I just kept getting tails! Five times in a row! Every time I got tails, these lizards that lit themselves on fire would come out of the walls to attack me.¡± He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. ¡°The first few waves were alright, but after that I got tired.¡±

    He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a number of burns. Robin gasped.

    ¡°So, I slowed down a bit and ended up with this,¡± he said.

    Graham grimaced. ¡°That looks awful.¡± Most of Orion¡¯s arm was red and there were patches of bulbous blisters, liquid hanging from his arm in sacks of skin. Graham rubbed his mouth. ¡°And he didn¡¯t have a scripture to help him heal afterward¡­¡± He grabbed the scripture from where it lay on the ground and handed it to the big man. ¡°Here. This might help.¡± He frowned. ¡°...and if it gets to be too painful¡­ well, you can have the last fruit.¡±

    Orion cracked open an eye, meeting Graham¡¯s gaze. He nodded slowly and took the scripture, spreading it out in front of him. ¡°How do I use it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Place your hand on the sigil. It¡¯ll draw energy into your body and help remove the impurities. It also seems to help heal wounds¡­ though I¡¯m not sure if yours are too much for it to handle or not.¡±

    Orion nodded and busied himself with circulating.

    Graham glanced at Robin. Her eyes were pinched shut and she¡¯d covered her mouth with her hands. He tapped her on the shoulder. ¡°Are you okay? Robin?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just¡­ his arm! It¡¯s¡­¡± She wobbled and stretched her hand out to catch herself. But she didn¡¯t touch the wall. She touched a door. She snatched her hand back with a gasp and fell. She stared, aghast, at the mark on her arm.

    ¡°Oh, no. Oh, nonono.¡± She gulped and looked at Graham. ¡°I-I have one minute.¡±

    <hr>

    Graham stood in front of the door Robin entered, chewing on his thumb. She¡¯d been frantic, and it¡¯d taken nearly half her time for Graham to calm her down.

    Remember, you¡¯re not the same as before, he¡¯d said. You¡¯re a Seeker, now. You¡¯re stronger. You can do this. Then, he handed her Orion¡¯s shield and the last fruit and even two of his spikes. He figured he wouldn¡¯t need all four. Take these. I hope you don¡¯t need them but take them.

    Robin cried and thanked him. She gave him a hug, her hands clinging desperately to the back of his shirt. Then, she took a deep breath, thanked him again, opened the door, and disappeared through¡­

    Graham bit his thumb hard. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen like that. I thought I¡¯d have time to get her ready.¡± He sighed, removing his thumb and wiping it on his shirt. ¡°I hope she¡¯ll be alright.¡± He glanced over at Orion. He was flipping through the spellbook, eager to learn it so he could have water whenever he needed it.

    Graham frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be a bit more worried? He¡¯s acting like nothing happened.¡± He sighed and scrubbed at his face with both hands. ¡°No, getting upset at Orion won¡¯t help anything. There¡¯s nothing I can do to help Robin now, but there are still things I need to do.¡±

    He picked up the scripture and started circulating. In all the fuss, he¡¯d forgotten to give it to Robin. She¡¯d probably have a hard time without it, but there was nothing he could do about it now. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take, but I need to be able to circulate without the sigil. Once I can do that, I¡¯ll go through another door and get one of the books we need.¡±

    Graham circulated twice in a row before taking a break. The stiffness in his joints made it hard to move and seemed to prevent Qi from flowing properly. No matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t begin the third circulation.

    He tried to push himself up from his cross-legged position, groaning with effort, but lost his balance and fell onto his side. He grit his teeth. ¡°Orion! C-Can you help me up?¡±

    Orion looked up from where he was drawing imaginary numbers on the ground and nodded. He pulled Graham up and helped him hobble over to the fire. ¡°You injured or something?¡± Orion asked.

    Graham shook his head, his neck popping audibly. ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ I circulated too much. Now, I can hardly move.¡± He sighed. ¡°It should go away soon.¡±

    Orion shrugged and sat back down, staring into the fire with his brow furrowed. ¡°So¡­ what happened while I was gone?¡±

    ¡°What? What makes you think anything happened?¡± Graham said. He grimaced. ¡°Should I tell him about what happened to Robin? I¡¯m not sure she¡¯d appreciate that¡­¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just have a feeling something did.¡±

    Graham scratched his cheek. ¡°Well, uh¡­ I found out Robin is a pilot. I mean¡­ wouldja believe that?¡± He laughed. It petered off. He cleared his throat. ¡°And, uh, I had her use the scripture, so she¡¯s technically a Seeker now. But, besides that¡­ nothing much¡­¡±

    He frowned, looking at Orion¡¯s robe. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering¡­ why are you wearing that? I didn¡¯t imagine that would be the reward you¡¯d pick.¡±

    Orion leaned back. ¡°Those fire lizards left my shirt in tatters. I needed something to wear. Wasn¡¯t much choice.¡±

    Graham nodded, scratching his cheek. ¡°Well, if you try another door, I¡¯d recommend the book on sigils. Seems like it¡¯d be useful.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Sigils?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I mean, this place is crawling with sigils. They¡¯re like¡­ programmable spells. You draw them, give them a certain effect and an activating condition, then wait until something triggers it. Like, how the door disappeared after we entered the tower or the mark on the scripture that lets you gather Qi after placing your hand on it. They¡¯re both sigils.¡±

    Orion leaned forward, a brow raised. ¡°So, all the mechanisms in this place were made of sigils?¡± He nodded. ¡°That does sound useful. Extremely so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that even the marks on our arms are sigils. I never knew you could put them on skin, but all the evidence points to it.¡±

    Orion rubbed his jaw, mumbling to himself. He picked up the spellbook, flipping through the pages with interest.

    Graham furrowed his brow. ¡°Y¡¯know, you can¡¯t perform the spell without circulating. You¡¯ve got to get Qi moving to get it to your fingers.¡±

    Orion hummed. ¡°I just want to learn the spell quickly, so I can go to the next door. Besides, that may not be the case.¡±

    Graham quirked a brow. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Orion glanced at him. ¡°I think you can move Qi without circulating. Though, it¡¯ll take a lot longer to perform the spell. Look here¡­¡± He pointed to an entry in fine print. It read, ...in desperate circumstances, you might need water without being able to circulate. In this case, you can perform breathing meditation to slowly direct your Qi to your arms.

    It was just a footnote at the bottom of a page full of equations. ¡°I must have skipped right past it,¡± Graham thought. He frowned. ¡°But what¡¯s breathing meditation?¡±

    Orion frowned and snapped the book shut. ¡°It¡¯s just a type of meditation to clear your mind. Or, at least, I thought it was. It seems it has more utility than I was aware.¡± His face looked sour, like he¡¯d swallowed a lemon whole.

    Graham raised a brow but didn¡¯t ask about it. Orion seemed like the sort to keep to himself. Being pushy would probably just irritate him. He cleared his throat. ¡°So, you can do the meditation thing? Gonna try it out?¡±

    Orion nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll give it a shot. Stay quiet for a while. I need silence for this.¡± He stood and moved to the wall, as far from the fire as he could get, and sat cross-legged. Graham nicked the spellbook and started flipping through the pages for any other tidbits of knowledge that might help them out.

    After poring over the pages for a few minutes, he gave up. ¡°That¡¯s just too boring. Is every spell going to be this detailed?¡± He stood and stretched his arms out, getting out some of the kinks. ¡°Oh! Maybe I can try circulating again? This time without the scripture.¡±

    A glance at Orion told him that the man hadn¡¯t accomplished anything yet. He sat in silence and took deep breaths. ¡°How long does this meditation take? And why does Orion know a technique that Seekers use?¡± He decided to go to the other side of the room, to make sure he didn¡¯t disturb Orion somehow.

    He copied Orion¡¯s posture because maybe it would help? Furrowing his brow, he tried to recall the feeling of absorbing Qi from the atmosphere. The way it expanded his senses and made him feel like there was so much more to the world that he was missing. The strange fragile yet powerful sensation that spread through his body. ¡°This time, I won¡¯t stop until I do it. I need to accomplish this.¡±

    <hr>

    The door squealed shut behind her, cutting her off from Graham, Orion, comfort, safety¡­ ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be here,¡± she thought. If she were a cat, her ears would be flat against her head, her fur standing on end.

    Hot pins stabbed her arm as the message changed. It read, Decisions should be made quickly. Making the right choice too late is the same as making the wrong choice.

    She furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean. Decisions?¡± Graham had received some kind of message after entering his door, as well. She couldn¡¯t remember what he¡¯d said it was, though. ¡°Maybe it has something to do with what I¡¯ll find in here. So¡­ I¡¯ll have to make decisions? And quickly¡­¡±

    She took a deep breath and headed up the stairs, huddled behind the shield. ¡°At least I have this¡­ and the fruit. Maybe I can really make it out of here?¡± The stairs went up and up, but Robin took her time. Graham¡¯s room had had traps and she didn¡¯t want to be caught unawares.

    Finally, she reached the top. She was faced with two doors. There was some kind of timer between them, ticking down. It looked like a sundial mounted on the wall, and it spun slowly, moving towards a large notch in the wall. When it hit the mark, it likely meant time was up. But what would happen when it did?

    Robin chewed her lip. ¡°So, I have to choose one of the doors? What if I choose the wrong one? What if I don¡¯t choose?¡± She shook her head. Not choosing wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. There¡¯d probably be some kind of penalty for failure. She might just die, outright!

    She examined both doors, looking for clues that might tell her which was the better choice. They looked the same, both gray with chipping paint. There were no words or numbers that might tell her something more. Their handles were dingy and black, maybe made of cast iron?

    She tiptoed closer to one and brought her ear just before it, afraid to actually touch the door. It might interpret that as a decision and make her enter. She slowed her breath, trying to stay quiet as possible. She began to make out a slow, steady breath that wasn¡¯t hers. Something was in there.

    Her heart seized up and she backed away from the door. ¡°Not that one. Definitely not that one,¡± she thought. She frowned. ¡°Unless the other room has something in it, too? What if there isn¡¯t a right choice?¡± She wouldn¡¯t put it above this place to lie to her. Maybe the message was meant to throw her off rather than help her? How could she know?

    The timer¡¯s ticking grew louder, as if it were scolding her for taking her time. She took a breath between grit teeth and approached the second door to take a listen. Nothing. She waited a while more, trying to tune out the ticking. More nothing. She sighed. ¡°Maybe this is the right one? I don¡¯t hear anything¡­¡±

    Her eyes flickered between the doors, but the choice was obvious. She took the second door. As soon as she opened it, the timer clanged and shot straight to the notch. A click rung out from the first door. Robin paled. ¡°So, if I didn¡¯t choose in time¡­ I¡¯d be locked out?¡± Trapped in this hallway, unable to move forward and likely unable to go back. She¡¯d rot in here.

    Her hands trembled as she pushed the door open. A hallway lay behind it with sconces on the walls to light the way. The hallway wasn¡¯t made of stone like she expected. It was floored with polished hardwood and the walls were decorated in red and gold wallpaper. It looked more like a hallway in a hotel than anything that belonged in this dreary tower.

    This did not put Robin at ease. She hugged the shield and moved forward. The floor creaked at every step. She wouldn¡¯t be able to move about quietly here. She came to a fork, two paths leading in opposite directions. She groaned. ¡°Oooh, which one¡­¡± She looked down both sides, but the sconces on the walls were unlit and she couldn¡¯t see far into either.

    A click came from behind her. She looked back to see a portion of the wall swing open. She froze, unable to breathe. The sconces behind her went out and a red eye peeked out of the opening of the wall, fixed on her. Her legs were moving before she knew it, carrying her down the left path. Loping thumps followed her, growing closer.

    She glanced back and saw the red eyes growing closer in the darkness. She screamed and ran faster. An opening appeared before her, faint light filtering through an open door. She scrambled in and shut the door behind her. Her pursuer slammed into the door, trying to break through. ¡°No! Stay away!¡± Robin yelled, putting all her weight into keeping the door closed.

    It kept ramming and the door began to crack. Robin covered her mouth and backed up, but she couldn¡¯t find any purchase behind her. She turned. ¡°Where¡¯s the floor?!¡± A giant hole existed where the floor should have been, as if it had collapsed and fell into an abyss. The hole was dark as night on a new moon.

    The door creaked audibly as a large crack spread from corner to corner. Robin shook her head. ¡°Nononono¡­ I have to¡­ I have to jump down there?¡± The door broke with a crash and Robin screamed. She jumped into the dark chasm, her shouts trailing as she fell.

    <hr>

    Graham watched as mist gathered in Orion¡¯s hands, swirling in eddies as it tried to congeal into water. Sweat poured from Orion¡¯s forehead as he focused all his concentration on maintaining the vortex and drawing more water in.

    Graham shook his head. ¡°It took him hours, but he¡¯s actually doing it.¡± He frowned. ¡°That¡¯s really¡­ incredible.¡± He threaded his fingers together as he observed. ¡°But, this is probably his limit. He won¡¯t get it right the first try, right? That¡¯s just¡­ unreasonable.¡±

    Orion grit his teeth, his breath hissing in and out. The cloud of mist spun faster, but Orion was visibly trembling. At last, his hand fell and the mist scattered. He slouched over and lay against the cold stone.

    Graham nodded. ¡°As I expected. Though, he did well for his first try.¡± It seems the breathing meditation really did work, but spending a few hours just to cast a single spell was ridiculous. It was just¡­ completely impractical. Especially out here where remaining in one place, defenseless, for hours could get you killed. It was lucky this room was safe from intruders, else he would never have been able to do it.

    Graham shook his head and focused on what was important. Learning to circulate without the scripture. He was close, he felt it. This time, he would do it. Then, he would try another door and see what was on the other side. It could be an opportunity to test his new strength.

    He smiled. ¡°After being rejected by several sects, I thought I¡¯d never be a Seeker. But look at me, now. Coming here might have been a blessing.¡± He snorted and focused on feeling the world¡¯s energy.

 Chapter 12: Sweet Deception

    Sweet Deception

    If something seems too good to be true, you should take a good, long look at it. You might be right. And if you¡¯re not? Well, you haven¡¯t lost anything, have you?

    . . . . .

    Robin groaned and pushed herself to her feet. She looked back at the slide she¡¯d fallen down. It was good that she hadn¡¯t fallen to her death, but the slide was a bumpy ride. Her butt could attest to that.

    This room was lit by sconces as well, appearing to be some kind of lobby. Cushy furniture was gathered in the center of the room, and a long, high desk took up one wall. Opposite the desk was a large fireplace, a roaring fire shedding its light and heat on the room. If this were a hotel, this room would be the lobby. The slide she came from was just a hole in the wall like someone had torn out a circle of it. The drywall edges were ragged and torn.

    Robin bit her lip. ¡°Where am I now?¡± She skittered to the wall next to the slide and listened. No sign of the creature following her down. She sighed, a hand on her chest. She picked up the shield from where it¡¯d fallen and sat on a couch near the fire. ¡°This place isn¡¯t so bad. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone here.¡± She did notice that there were three doors out, but there were no timers that might force her to choose now.

    She lay on her side, curling up into a ball. ¡°I could really use a break. I just¡­ I can¡¯t handle all this stuff one after the next.¡± She closed her eyes for a while. Then she heard a soft voice, distant. It was singing. Her heart seized up, thinking back to every horror movie she¡¯d ever watched. Singing in the distance was never good. And it was usually a little girl¡¯s voice because the disparity between the cuteness of a child and whatever horrible thing was about to happen made it creepier.

    It was too quiet for her to tell who was singing, though. She grabbed up the shield and hugged it close while moving towards the wall. Nobody else was in the room. ¡°Where¡¯s it coming from, then?¡± Her gaze fell on the three doors. She grimaced. ¡°Now I have to check it out¡­ I really don¡¯t want to.¡± Why in the world did they have to make her do this alone? She¡¯d really really like Graham or Orion to be here. At least to have someone to hide behind.

    The singing didn¡¯t stop and likely wouldn¡¯t until she found the source. That¡¯s just how these things went. She approached the door on the left, always keeping the shield between it and her. She dared not touch it. At this rate, she was going to develop a phobia for doors. The singing grew louder. It wasn¡¯t a girl¡¯s voice. It sounded more like a man. Not that deep but definitely a man¡¯s voice. And it seemed kinda familiar.

    She furrowed her brow and moved to the next door, listening closely. The voice was louder and she could almost make out words. She tried the third door, but the voice grew weaker. She gulped. ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s the middle door. I think I don¡¯t want to pick that door.¡± It just didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. Empty rooms void of danger were her favorite.

    She knelt on the floor, looking underneath each door in turn. The first had a light behind it; the third, a slight breeze. The second was too dark to see anything. She stood and chewed on a nail. ¡°Light or breeze? I¡¯m not sure either of them mean anything good, but¡ª¡± She stopped as the voice grew a little louder.

    She recognized it. ¡°Daddy!?¡±

    <hr>

    The world expanded as energy pierced him and flowed through every part of his body. He could smell the soot on Orion from across the room, the muted hum of the fire becoming a roar, every sensation magnified until it almost hurt. And yet, the ache in his side where the stab wound had almost healed faded, leaving only cool bliss.

    He¡¯d done it. ¡°Yes!¡± He leapt up, bouncing on his toes. ¡°Man, I feel great! And I did it without the scripture!¡± It seemed that practice was the only thing needed. The previous circulations had removed enough impurities that he could now draw in energy on his own. Not easily, of course. He¡¯d sat there for at least an hour, focusing on that task, until anything had happened.

    Orion looked up at the commotion. ¡°You did it?¡±

    Graham grinned. ¡°Yep. Check this out.¡± He leapt, launching upward¡­ then hit his head on the ceiling. ¡°Ah!¡± He fell, landing on his hands and knees. He blinked. ¡°Oh! It doesn¡¯t hurt. Nice.¡±

    Orion laughed. ¡°So, what now? You want to give the spell a go?¡±

    Graham stood, feeling the energy leave him. ¡°No, I¡¯m gonna try the next door. It¡¯s probably best we get out of here, soon. Besides, there¡¯s something I want to get.¡±

    ¡°The sigil book?¡±

    ¡°No, not that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, guess I¡¯ll have to get it myself,¡± Orion muttered.

    Graham scratched his cheek, circling the pile of fish that he¡¯d made when he emptied the shield for Robin, and stood in front of the fire. ¡°You interested in sigils? I don¡¯t think they¡¯re very easy to learn. It might not help at all.¡±

    Orion shrugged. ¡°Even so, I¡¯m interested.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± He moved to one of the unopened doors and waved a hand. ¡°With any luck, I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. See you. Though, if I can get this spell down, I¡¯ll be taking the last door.¡±

    Graham opened the door.

    ¡°Good luck!¡± Orion shouted after him.

    <hr>

    Robin opened the second door, revealing an unlit hallway. She walked quickly, her heart beating. ¡°Is that really dad? Did they take him, too?¡± He hadn¡¯t been at the clearing, but they¡¯d never said they hadn¡¯t kidnapped more people. Her eyes teared up. ¡°I¡¯m coming, daddy.¡±

    The hallway had a few twists and turns before it came to an end with a single door. Soft light poured from the keyhole and the gap underneath. His voice was clearly audible. He was singing a lullaby. The one he always sang to help her sleep. She gripped the handle and burst through. ¡°Dad!¡±

    And he was there. Sitting in a rocking chair beside the bed, flipping through a book and singing. Tears rolled down Robin¡¯s face as he turned to her. He was a gentle-looking man with light brown hair and deep laugh lines in his cheeks.

    He smiled and spread his arms. ¡°Robin. There¡¯s my little girl.¡±

    Robin whimpered and launched into his arms. ¡°Oh, Daddy! I¡¯ve missed you! When did you get out of the hospital? Are you alright, now?¡±

    He rested his chin on her head, holding her close. ¡°I¡¯m just fine. Clean bill of health, as you can see.¡±

    She wept, her tears staining his shirt. She¡¯d never been so relieved as she was right now. Now that he was here, everything would be okay. She truly believed that.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a seat,¡± he said, lowering her to the edge of the bed. He sat beside her and helped her take off the shield and remove the spikes she¡¯d stuffed in the waist of her pants, setting them on the bed.

    Robin rubbed her eyes, hiccoughing. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here. Well, I mean, not that I wanted you to get kidnapped or anything¡­¡± She giggled. ¡°I just meant that¡­ well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, with me.¡±

    He rubbed a thumb on her cheek, wiping a stray tear away. ¡°I¡¯m glad to be here, too. This is a wonderful place.¡± He motioned to the rest of the room. It was elegant with warm colors and comfy furniture. Paintings of beautiful landscapes decorated the walls and a bookshelf sat in the corner, filled to bursting. A table that she hadn¡¯t noticed before was in the center of the room, burdened with a feast; Pastas, breads, a whole roast turkey, soup, sugared desserts, and more.

    Robin stood and grabbed up a crystal goblet, draining the contents. She set the glass down and sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t had anything to drink in¡­ probably a whole day!¡± She looked around the room once more and frowned. ¡°Why is this all here?¡±

    Her father grabbed one of the seats and pulled it out for her. ¡°Go ahead, have a seat. It¡¯s just about time for supper.¡±

    Robin blinked. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ alright. But after we eat, we need to leave. I can¡¯t imagine what will happen if we stay here too long¡­¡± She sat, noting the three forks and two spoons set out for her. There were even two different kinds of knife. Neither of which she knew the purpose of.

    Her father sat as well, across from her. ¡°Leave? Why would we do such a thing? This is a wonderful place. A perfect vacationing spot. There¡¯s no need to leave.¡±

    Robin¡¯s brows nearly crossed. ¡°What? What¡­ are you talking about? Vacation spot?¡± Her jaw fell and she half-stood, leaning over the table. ¡°You¡¯re not on any medication, are you? Because of the heart attack?¡±

    His brows raised. ¡°What? Heart attack? I assure you I¡¯ve never had anything of the sort.¡± He smiled. ¡°Sit down and enjoy your food, sweetie. You don¡¯t want it to get cold, do you?¡±

    Robin sank slowly back into her chair. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember the heart attack? And¡­ it¡¯s kind of strange that he called me ¡®sweetie¡¯. He¡¯s never called me that before.¡± Her eyes moved about the room, looking for any bottles of medication, but found nothing.

    The knife flashed as her father picked it up. ¡°Would you like some turkey?¡± He began slicing the roast bird and piling it up on his plate. ¡°It¡¯s quite delicious.¡±

    Robin shook her head and went about filling her plate. They ate in silence, the only sound that of silverware scraping plates. Robin finished her plate and stood, hands on the table. ¡°We should go. Really, dad, we can¡¯t stay here.¡±

    He continued eating as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. Her hands began to tremble and she brought them to her chest to keep them still. She took a deep breath and moved toward the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to go look for an exit. I¡¯ll come back when I find something.¡±

    He stood, knocking his chair over. ¡°Hold on, now, sweetie. Let¡¯s not be hasty.¡± She shivered at that word, ¡®sweetie¡¯. It was like cold slime crawling down her back. Unnatural.

    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I-I may not look it, but I¡¯m actually pretty¡­ pretty strong now.¡± She clenched her hands together. ¡°I¡¯m stronger, now. I am. Graham said so.¡± She reached for the doorknob.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you touch that door, young lady!¡± her father shouted. She froze. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. ¡°It¡¯s very disrespectful to ignore me like that.¡± There was anger in his eyes that she¡¯d never seen there before. Her father wasn¡¯t a man to get angry, even when she did something wrong. He always tried to talk to her and be upfront with his feelings.

    Robin shrugged out of his grasp and tore the door open, racing down the hallway. Tears dripped from her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s not my dad! It can¡¯t be!¡±

    His footsteps were loud and quick as he followed her into the dark hallway. ¡°Don¡¯t run from me, Robin! I¡¯m only trying to do what¡¯s best for us!¡±

    Robin sobbed and turned a corner. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this place? That¡­ that can¡¯t be my dad, but¡­ if he¡¯s not, then who is he?¡± She stumbled and skidded on her knees.

    Her father¡ªNo, the impersonator¡ªrounded the corner. ¡°Robin, sweetie, come back to the room.¡± He reached out a hand. ¡°That¡¯s where we belong. Our new home. Don¡¯t fight it.¡±

    Robin sniffed, wiping her cheeks off. ¡°You, you¡¯re not my father. He never called me ¡®sweetie¡¯.¡± She sobbed into a hand. ¡°He always called me ¡®tweetie¡¯. Cause I¡¯m his little birdy.¡± She stood, wishing she hadn¡¯t left the shield back in the room. ¡°You¡¯re not him! I should¡¯ve known. He wouldn¡¯t get out of the hospital so soon after a heart attack.¡±

    He stepped forward. ¡°Robin, you¡¯re delirious. Let¡¯s go back to the room and have a lie-down, alright?¡±

    Robin slapped his hand away. ¡°No! I¡¯m not going back there! I¡¯m not going anywhere with you, you¡­ you fake!¡± She dashed away.

    ¡°You little bitch! I am your father and you will do as I say! Even if I have to make you!¡± He chased her.

    <hr>

    Always move forward. No matter the resistance, it read. Graham scratched at the mark, grumbling about involuntary body art. He looked forward and sighed. Stairs again. He scaled them, checking the walls, the floor, the ceiling for signs of traps. He didn¡¯t want to be caught unawares.

    ¡°Always move forward, huh? In other words, I¡¯m gonna encounter things that will make me not want to move forward.¡± His mouth curled into a small smile. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see how much this room can throw at me. I can handle it, now.¡±

    Knowing that super strength was just a circulation away gave him a deep confidence that he¡¯d never had before. The power he had was paltry compared to what other Seekers must have, but it was still so much more than he¡¯d ever felt.

    He came to the top of the stairs. An open passageway stood before him, looking like a naturally occurring cave tunnel. It was lit by glowing gems embedded in the wall in clusters, like ore-veins in varying shades of green.

    He took a few careful steps, wary but curious, and inspected one of the gems. It was rough, unhewn, and kind of lumpy. Still, it might have gone for a good price back in Attela. It was pretty enough, at least. He tried to pull it out, to no avail. It might be possible if he circulated, but he couldn¡¯t afford to do that willy-nilly.

    He shook his head and walked on. He caught something on the floor. A suspiciously raised stone. ¡°A trap? Let¡¯s see¡­¡± He knelt and examined the stone. It was uneven and natural-looking. However, where it met the floor, there were dark lines, as if it were set into the ground. ¡°Some kind of pressure switch.¡± He grinned and tapped his nose. ¡°Good eye, Graham. Good eye.¡± With a short hop, he cleared it and went on his way.

    Further along, he spotted something shiny sticking out of the wall. He shifted onto his toes, in case he needed to run away, and crept closer, keeping an eye on his step. That¡¯s what saved him. There was a tripwire at ankle height which shone when the light hit it at the right angle.

    Graham gulped and began to sweat. ¡°Really pulling out all the stops, aren¡¯t they?¡± He found what had caught his eye earlier. Some kind of metal tube, sticking out from the wall. ¡°What, another steam trap? Or, like, a flamethrower?¡± He didn¡¯t want to find out. Carefully, he stepped over the trip wire. He continued forth with even more caution, moving at a snail¡¯s pace.

    When he came to a door, it was met with joy and relief. ¡°Finally, something that isn¡¯t a trap!¡± He¡¯d noticed several others after the tripwire. It was surprising that he had noticed all of them, seeing as there were so many. They didn¡¯t seem to be well hidden at all. Like they wanted to be noticed.

    Graham calmed himself, prepping for whatever lay behind the door. ¡°Just don¡¯t be more traps. Please, I hate being on edge like this.¡± It was kind of out of place in this cave system-like hallway, and it looked different from the other doors he¡¯d seen here in the tower. For one, it was made of metal. It was secured with a thick metal bar, which he could slide back to unlatch it.

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Why does it need such a sturdy lock?¡± He gulped and slid it back, pushing the door open. It swung wide, noiselessly. The room within was wide and lit with crystals, like the path. There was a narrow path opposite him, like a crack in the wall. He¡¯d have to squeeze through sideways to fit.

    He heard a growl and lifted his eyes. A few meters up, there was a sort of shelf, upon which rested a panther-like creature. Golden fur, large teeth, pointed ears like a bobcat. Hundreds of pounds of murderous feline. It stood and hopped down, light as a feather.

    Graham began to sweat. He gulped. ¡°Now, I understand why the traps are so easy to see. They¡¯re not there to stop me from moving forward. They¡¯re there to stop me from moving back.¡± If he tried to go back to escape this horrible creature, he¡¯d surely trigger one of the traps and die. It might be clever if it weren¡¯t happening to Graham. Since it was, it was the most horrible, wretched thing anyone had ever conceived of.

    The Golden Panther crept forward, eyes unwaveringly focused on Graham and head low to the ground. A low rumble emanated from its throat.

    Graham grit his teeth and began to draw in energy. He had no choice but to fight!

 Chapter 13: Patricide

    Patricide

    In every situation, you have a choice. Just¡­ sometimes they¡¯re all shit. Like, kill or be killed. Maybe there are other options you could choose in those situations, but what are the chances you¡¯ll notice them in the moment?

    . . . . .

    Robin burst back into the room she¡¯d first fallen into. Her head whirled, looking for an escape. Her eyes landed on the door to her right. It was the door with the light behind it. She pounced on it, turning the handle desperately. It didn¡¯t budge. She heard the footsteps of the imposter, a rapid tapping that became louder and louder. He¡¯d be here, soon.

    She grimaced and moved to the third door, trying the handle. It opened. ¡°Yes!¡± she shouted as she ran in. She could feel the faint breeze against her skin. ¡°It must come from somewhere, right? Maybe it leads outside?¡± She moved along as fast as she could in the dark, keeping a hand on the wall to guide her.

    ¡°Stop running, Robin!¡± his voice echoed down the hall. ¡°Before I make you regret it!¡±

    Robin¡¯s stomach clenched and she broke into a run, risking a fall for a chance to get farther ahead. It became darker in front of her and she realized she was facing a wall. Dead end? ¡°Nonono!¡± She felt around, looking for a door of some kind, a secret passage, a trap door, even a doggy door would do. As her fingers ran across the wall, they hit something metallic, like dull blades, angled downward. A stream of air flowed out.

    Her blood ran cold. ¡°Is this the breeze I felt?¡± Just a vent? Just a fucking vent?! Running footsteps became loud, growing close once more. Robin covered her mouth and sank against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s a dead end. I don¡¯t know what to do. Am¡­ am I going to die?¡± She shook her head furiously. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to! Why¡­ why does this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?¡± She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes.

    ¡°Robin?! Where aaaarree yoooouu?¡± his voice trilled in the darkness.

    Robin shivered and stood. She sniffed again. ¡°I have to do something. What¡­ what would Graham do¡­ He made it through one of these things. He even had to fight some kind of copy of himself.¡± She frowned. ¡°Our situations are eerily similar¡­¡±

    But, Graham had solved his problem by shattering a mirror. Where was her mirror!? She hadn¡¯t seen anything in this place. Maybe there was something else she¡¯d missed? Something back in the room? But¡­ how would she get there? The only way out of this hallway was the door she entered from. And the Imposter certainly stood in her way. Could she get past him?

    She¡¯d have to.

    She could hear his breath now. He must be just around the corner. Her breath sped up, becoming shallow. ¡°Just run past him, as soon as he rounds the corner. Maybe his eyes haven¡¯t adjusted to the dark, yet? I can hope¡­¡±

    She saw a dark hand grasp the corner and took off, rounding the corner. She ran right into him, knocking him over. Her heart thudded like a jackhammer as she scrambled to get off him.

    He grabbed onto her leg, holding tight. ¡°Calm down, sweetie.¡± His eyes glowed red. ¡°I just want to talk.¡±

    Robin whimpered and slapped at his face, jerking her leg away. He let go and she ran once more, feeling as if she were about to have a heart attack.

    <hr>

    The Golden Panther stalked forth and Graham struggled to draw in enough energy to circulate. It might have gone faster if he could really concentrate on it, but he daren¡¯t close his eyes, lest the beast take it as an opening. The panther lowered itself and Graham knew he wouldn¡¯t have enough time. He lunged for the door and tried to pull it closed, but it was stuck!

    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me!?¡± The panther jumped and he curled into a ball on the ground, rolling underneath the beast. He stood back up behind it and hid himself in a crevice before it could turn around. ¡°I just need a few more seconds!¡±

    The panther roared and sniffed at the air, quickly turning its head to his hiding spot. He held his breath and shut his eyes, beckoning the energy to him. It seeped into him, slower than if he¡¯d used the scripture. He grit his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about the time it would take to circulate. Stupid! I was so happy about succeeding that I hardly thought it through!¡±

    The panther growled, slow clicks that sent shivers down Graham¡¯s spine. It moved closer, its claws scraping the stony ground. It came around the edge of the crevice. Their eyes met. It leapt. Graham felt Qi course through him. Finally!

    He stepped forward and threw out a fist, connecting with the panther¡¯s nose. The big cat flinched, but its momentum couldn¡¯t be stopped and it crashed into Graham, knocking him to the ground. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯ve only got a few seconds to finish this!¡± The panther seemed dazed from the punch, giving Graham the time to push it over and wrap an arm around its neck.

    It stood and started twisting and bucking, but Graham kept a strong grip, staying on its back. He reached back and took out one of his two spikes, stabbing it into the beast¡¯s ribs. It howled with a desperate note to its voice, redoubling its efforts to shake him off.

    It jumped into a wall, slamming Graham into it, back first. He grunted and his grip loosened. Sharp pain coursed through his arm as the bastard bit into it. Graham snarled and smacked a hand on the spike lodged in its side. It howled again, releasing his arm, and he used the chance to slam his second spike into its neck.

    He jumped off its back and cradled his arm, though it didn¡¯t bleed as much as expected. The panther stumbled around, smacking into walls, then fell to its feet. It scrambled to stand again but lacked the strength. Graham watched as it writhed and whined in its death throes.

    Finally, it stopped, falling still, and Graham sank to the floor, a hand pressed firmly to his wound. The energy left him and the pain in his arm increased ten-fold, accompanied by an ache that settled into his joints and bones. His chest cracked every time he breathed and sweat soaked his shirt.

    But the cat was dead, and he wasn¡¯t. The fight may have left him in bitter pain but the victory was sweet. He smiled and closed his eyes to rest a while.

    <hr>

    Robin burst back into the lobby, slamming the door shut behind her. She quickly tried the door to the imposter¡¯s room but found it locked. "Of course it is!¡± She was beginning to grow exasperated with this place. Just a bit, hidden under the fear and terror.

    She heard his voice and panicked, looking for someplace to hide. Her gaze landed on the couch and she quickly squeezed herself underneath. It was lucky she was small. She held her breath and kept her eyes on the three doors. She frowned. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t manage to find me, how am I supposed to get out of here?¡± The longer she stayed, the more likely she¡¯d be found.

    Surely, there had to be an exit? If this was some kind of challenge, there had to be a clear condition. Graham had needed to destroy the mirror. Orion just had to flip a heads on the coin. But, what did she have to do? Were there any clues in the room? Was she supposed to listen to the imposter and go back? Would he even take her back, at this point? He seemed so angry, he might just kill her. She was far too afraid to risk it.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The door slammed open and Robin covered her mouth to stop a whimper. He sauntered out, his head swiveling. His eyes were glowing red, like earlier, and his face had twisted into a cruel visage. How could she ever have mistaken him for her father? The man that loved her and treated her like the center of his world. She bit her lip as shame washed over her.

    BANG! Robin flinched.

    He¡¯d slapped his hand down on the counter. ¡°Robin! I know you¡¯re here.¡±

    She grit her teeth. ¡°Of course I am! If there were somewhere else for me to go, I¡¯d be there!¡±

    He moved about the room, taking slow and deliberate steps. Every time he drew close to her hiding spot, her heart rate would skyrocket, beating so hard her chest hurt. She feared it might be loud enough for him to hear, but he gave no indication he heard it.

    ¡°There¡¯s got to be something I can do!¡± Seriously, how did she escape this place without killing him? Killing him¡­ ¡°Wait, is that what I¡¯m supposed to do?!¡± she thought. The idea turned her stomach. She¡¯d never killed anything, except bugs. And, even then, she saved it for the last resort. But, what if that was the only way? If she didn¡¯t, would she be stuck here until she died of thirst?

    No. Probably not. It was more likely he¡¯d find her and kill her. But¡­ to actually kill a person?! She¡¯d never considered being in that kind of position. It was a choice she never thought she¡¯d have to make. A choice she didn¡¯t want to make. What would her father think, if he learned she¡¯d done something so awful?

    She bit her lip harder. ¡°He¡¯d be glad I was safe. And he¡¯d try his best to help me through the trauma.¡± That was the type of person he was. He wouldn¡¯t give up on her, for any reason. He hadn¡¯t given up on her brother after the drug incident. He¡¯d go every week to visit him in jail. Though, Colt never appreciated it.

    She closed her eyes and shook the thoughts of her brother away. ¡°I¡­ I think I have to kill him. I think that¡¯s the only choice.¡± She¡¯d have to do it. And she knew she could... at least, physically. It was like Graham said. She was a Seeker, now. She had access to power she¡¯d never known before, and she could use it to end the imposter¡¯s life.

    She¡¯d have to.

    <hr>

    Graham stood laboriously, his body not responding well to his commands. He¡¯d circulated once more to close up the wound on his arm. Maybe it¡¯d leave a scar? The smaller cuts he¡¯d received from the fish had vanished completely at this point, with no trace they were ever there, but he wasn¡¯t sure the larger wounds would do the same. He kinda hoped they didn¡¯t. Scars were cool, after all.

    He clenched his arm, grimacing at the throbbing ache. ¡°This one¡¯ll definitely look cool,¡± he thought. He chuckled, imagining himself casually mentioning that he¡¯d been bitten by a fucking panther, which he then killed. A week ago, it would¡¯ve been an unbelievable story. But now? It was different. That kind of shit happened to Seekers. And now it happened to Graham.

    He pinched his cheek until the grin went away and kneeled to pull out his spikes from the panther. They¡¯d really proven useful this time. He grabbed the one in its neck first, dislodging it with a jerk of his arm. He wiped the blood off on its fur and holstered it. He tried to remove the second, but it seemed to be stuck. It was likely the muscles had constricted around it.

    Graham clicked his tongue and set his feet against the dead beast, pulling with both hands. There was a crack and he fell back, hitting his head on the ground. ¡°Ow! Fuck.¡± He sat up, wincing. The spike was broken in half, the sharp end still stuck in the panther¡¯s ribs, leaving him with a stub. He sighed and dropped it. Without the point, it was useless.

    He searched the room for the way out and found the crevice he¡¯d seen when he first entered the room. He squeezed through and shimmied to the other side. It opened up to a room with a very tall ceiling. It was like he was at the bottom of a mineshaft. There was an arrow on the opposite wall that pointed up. He craned his neck and saw that there was an opening at the top of the wall. He¡¯d have to climb.

    <hr>

    She was trapped in a room with a terrifying man posing as her father¡ªwho might want to kill her¡ªand stuck hiding under a couch. Robin had had better days. In fact, pretty much all of them qualified. The only way she could think of to get out of here¡­ was to kill him. She could do it if she managed to circulate. However, she didn¡¯t have the scripture.

    ¡°After I stumbled into the door, I was in such a panic that I didn¡¯t think of it. Graham said it¡¯s possible to circulate without it, but I don¡¯t know how.¡± That was her problem, at the moment. Well, besides the man that really wanted her to stay here, for some reason. She doubted it was a benign reason. Sure, he might be lonely and want company, but impersonating her father was no way to ingratiate himself to her!

    She shut her eyes and thought back to using the scripture. She hadn¡¯t bothered to read the instructions, instead simply doing as Graham had told her to. It had worked out, mostly. The vine had been subdued, though not killed like she¡¯d wanted. She brushed her side, feeling the vegetative mass that had attached itself to her. It was still there, of course. She¡¯d held out some hope that it might simply¡­ not be. Problems never just went away, but it¡¯d be really nice if this one did.

    She shook her head and focused. ¡°I need to figure out how to draw in Qi. That¡¯s what the scripture did, right? And it¡¯s possible to do it without the scripture, so I¡¯ll just have to figure it out, now.¡± The impersonator was searching behind the counter at the moment, meaning she couldn¡¯t see his feet. She could still hear his breath and his footsteps, though. As long as he didn¡¯t look under the couch, she had time to figure things out.

    Circulation was like¡­ it was like a stream in her veins. It flowed in patterns through her body. She felt it most in her chest, like it was denser there. Or, maybe it flowed faster? It was hard to tell. She hadn¡¯t really focused on the sensation. She was too worried about the vine. That maybe one more circulation would kill it.

    She furrowed her brow. ¡°No, I¡¯m thinking of the sensation after I¡¯d already drawn in the energy¡­ I need to remember what it felt like to draw it from the surroundings.¡± What had it felt like? She racked her brain, searching for the memory. The imposter yelled something again, but her concentration was too great to pay it any attention.

    ¡°Pressure¡­ like being in deep water. And¡­ currents. They flowed through the air, but not quite like water.¡± She frowned. ¡°Not fluid. It was more¡­ erratic¡­¡±

    As she concentrated, it was like her memories were coming to life. She could feel the pressure and the erratic currents. They pressed on her and swirled in patterns she couldn¡¯t discern. Was this her imagination? Or, was she really sensing it? The vine began to shiver, crawling up her arm under the sleeve of Graham¡¯s jacket. Her eyes snapped open and she glared at the arm. ¡°Stop!¡±

    It did, falling still but not retreating. Robin calmed, trying to shove the repulsive sensation of the vine crawling under her skin to the back of her mind. It wouldn¡¯t do to freak out right now. Still, at least it had listened to her. It seemed like it really had become obedient. She couldn¡¯t understand why, though.

    She sunk back into her concentration, trying to remember how to let those currents of energy in. Minutes passed, but it felt like seconds to her. And, suddenly, she wasn¡¯t under the couch anymore. Rather, it was no longer over her. The imposter had kicked it over, revealing her.

    ¡°Found you!¡± He pulled her up and she screamed, her concentration breaking. He laughed, his breath washing over her face, and she struggled to extricate herself from his grasp.

    ¡°I need more time!¡± she thought. If she could get away, just for a minute, that should be enough. Once she¡¯d successfully circulated, he¡¯d be no match for her¡­ unless he was a Seeker, too. That didn¡¯t bear considering. Not right now.

    He threw her back and she stumbled over the toppled couch, landing on the other side. She tried to get up and run for it, but he was quickly upon her again. He pinned her with a knee on her stomach and grabbed her hair, pulling out a knife with his other hand.

    Her blood ran cold and she smacked the blade away before he could use it. ¡°He really wants to kill me!¡± Her father¡¯s face twisted in rage, making her stomach turn.

    ¡°Ungrateful little bitch! You shoulda listened! We could¡¯ve stayed here, together!¡± He punched her in the face. She shouted and brought up her arms to defend herself. He pulled her arms away and punched again.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Robin cried. ¡°Please, stop!¡± Her eyes were filled with tears, and she had a split in her lip. The imposter pulled his arm back again and she tried to push him away, her hands on his face. And then, she felt the vine move. Her eyes widened as it wrapped around his neck and pulled itself taut.

    The imposter clawed at the vine, tearing his own skin to get his fingers beneath the vine. His face began to turn purple and he made awful choking sounds. Robin watched, mouth agape as it happened. His eyes rolled back in his head and she turned away. ¡°Stop it!¡± she commanded. ¡°You¡¯re killing him!¡± She couldn¡¯t go through with this, just¡­ killing a person. Especially not when he had her dad¡¯s face.

    ...but the vine didn¡¯t retreat. Despite her pleas, it stayed tight around his neck, constricting his windpipe and making it impossible to breathe. Finally, he shuddered and fell limp, sprawling over her.

    She squealed and crawled out from underneath the man, moving behind the counter and huddling into a ball on the floor. Over here she wouldn¡¯t have to see him. She could pretend that she hadn¡¯t just killed a man.

    Tears streamed from her eyes and she shook her head. ¡°No. No, I can¡¯t forget. I¡¯m a murderer, now. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sorry. Forgive me.¡± She buried her face in her arms and wailed until her throat hurt too much to continue.

    Once she quieted down, she turned an accusing glare to the vine on her arm. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you listen when I said stop? Why?¡±

 Chapter 14: The Birds and the Trees... Also the Fish

    The Birds and the Trees¡­ Also the Fish

    Is killing a person and killing a sapient monster so different? I think it is. I mean, maybe it shouldn¡¯t be, but it¡¯s easier to treat things that are different from us as lesser. It also helps if the monster was trying to kill you first. So, don¡¯t get too down over what happened, Robin.

    . . . . .

    Orion took a drink from his cupped hands, a smile making its way onto his face. He sighed happily and emptied them then ran his damp palms over his face, scrubbing away some of the dirt and sweat from the past day or two.

    He¡¯d finally managed the spell, though it wasn¡¯t through the breathing meditation. That took far too long to be an effective way of learning a new spell. Luckily, Graham hadn¡¯t taken the scripture with him, so Orion was able to make use of circulation to speed up the spellcasting process.

    It¡¯d also had the pleasant side effect of soothing the burns on his arm. The redness had almost completely receded, and the pain was negligible. ¡°I never realized how useful Qi could be. If I had, maybe I would¡¯ve listened to mom when she told me to become a Seeker.¡± He frowned, narrowing his eyes. ¡°No. That¡¯s not true.¡±

    His mother was the sort that didn¡¯t accomplish her dreams, so she pinned them all on her kid. Him, since he was an only child. Her adamant demand that he become a Seeker had only pushed him away from that course of action. If it weren¡¯t a matter of life and death, he still wouldn¡¯t be one.

    He snorted and stood. There wasn¡¯t any point thinking about this more. He¡¯d do what he had to to survive, even if it meant falling in line with her aims. With any luck, he could play off his disappearance as a secret vacation or something and leave her none the wiser.

    He reached into his pocket and toyed with the ancient coin. ¡°I should be so lucky. Chances are, she finds out and never stops bothering me about it.¡±

    He clicked his tongue and picked up the scripture, shoving it in an inside pocket. He set his shoulders and approached the last¡ªunopened¡ªdoor. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Sweat poured down Graham¡¯s face and arms as he pulled himself up the wall. He paused to look for a place to hold, spotting a crack as wide as a finger. He lodged his fingers in it, grimacing as the rough surface of the stone rubbed against already raw skin. Climbing was not fun.

    What¡¯s worse is that circulation really didn¡¯t help with it. Climbing was a time-consuming activity and circulation only lasted for a short time, no more than a minute. Not to mention, it left him stiff and sore afterward. Two things you definitely don¡¯t want to be while hanging fifteen meters high on a cliff face. So, he was forced to scale the wall with only his own, natural, strength. Which wasn¡¯t much.

    He grit his teeth and found a new hold for his other hand, then pulled himself up, his feet finding purchase on old handholds. He hugged the wall for a second, trying to catch his breath. This was by far the most strenuous activity he¡¯d ever undertaken. Fighting a second panther would be preferable. Hell, bring in that fucking bear! He could totally handle the bear, now!

    He looked up. The top was in sight. His heart thumped. ¡°I could make that if I circulated.¡± It was maybe ten feet above. With the strength circulation gave him, he could make that leap. It was a bit risky, as he¡¯d have to get a good hold on the edge before he fell back down, but the chance to be done with this endeavor right now? It was a risk worth taking.

    He found a good position for the jump that would let him launch himself most effectively. Then, he drew in energy. The ache from the climb faded and his raw hands healed up. He grinned and set his arms and legs. He jumped. And overshot it. By a lot. Passing over the edge he needed to grab, he floated in the air for a second before falling down. Past the cliff and to the hard, rocky ground.

    ¡°Shit!¡± He smacked into the ground at high speed and bounced a few times, ending up on his head against the wall. He groaned and slouched over on his side, rubbing his back gingerly. ¡°Fuck! I thought I was gonna die!¡± But he was mostly uninjured. Maybe he¡¯d have a sore back for a while. The energy faded, but his back didn¡¯t hurt any more than before. Of course, the ache came back. Though, this probably wasn¡¯t the same ache he¡¯d gained from climbing. It was more likely the ache he experienced after circulating.

    He pushed himself up. ¡°So, circulating can protect me from impacts, huh? Neat.¡± He craned his neck up. ¡°God dammit! Now, I have to do it over.¡± Why did he have to try his luck? He was so close! If he¡¯d just taken it slow, he¡¯d be past this fucking wall and on to the next part of this fucking tower.

    He cradled his head in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a long fucking climb.¡±

    <hr>

    Robin¡¯s eyes fluttered open to the light of a sconce overhead. Near that was something brown, hovering over her. The bottom of a desk. ¡°Oh. I must¡¯ve fallen asleep.¡± Her mind flashed through what happened before. The Imposter. The chase. The murder she¡¯d committed. Her face screwed up in anguish and she covered her eyes.

    For a few minutes, she did her best to hold back her sobs and calm down. What was done was done, but she¡¯d have to live with it. And that wasn¡¯t proving to be easy. Maybe time would help. Maybe.

    Still, laying there and feeling sorry for herself wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything. Presumably, now that she¡¯d killed the imposter, she should be able to leave. Right? That¡¯s what should happen, right? She bit her finger. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t, though? What if killing him isn¡¯t what I was supposed to do?¡± Wouldn¡¯t that mean she¡¯d committed a horrible crime in vain? That his death was pointless?

    She shook her head and used the desk to pull herself up. She almost headed straight for the doors without looking back, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. She looked. And what she found was not a man. She screamed and jumped back behind the desk, holding a hand over her pumping heart.

    ¡°What was that?!¡± she thought. ¡°He¡­ it¡­ I don¡¯t know what it is, but he didn¡¯t look like that before!¡± She peeked her head over the counter and observed the motionless creature. It was coal black and had spindly limbs. Its body looked like a thumb, because it had no discernable neck, and a bony tail coiled out from its rear. It had no eyes, no ears, no mouth, nothing that made it seem even slightly human.

    Her stomach turned and she crouched back down, covering her mouth. ¡°What the hell is that thing?!¡± She wanted to erase the image from her mind. Had the imposter actually looked like that under his disguise? Had she¡­ hugged that disgusting creature?! She nearly hurled.

    Forcing herself to stand, she walked past with her eyes averted. Strangely, she was grateful it wasn¡¯t human. She¡¯d still killed something, but it hadn¡¯t been a person. That was comforting. To a degree. She made a beeline for the first door where she¡¯d seen the light under the door. It was open. She followed the path and came to another door, which she opened.

    It led to a stairwell, spiraling down. There was another door next to hers and a dial on the wall between them. Her eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m back where I started!¡± she thought.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    With a click, the dial popped open. Robin jumped back, holding her arms in front of her to protect herself. Nothing happened. Within the dial¡¯s casing was a mirror. Words appeared on the sleek glass. ¡°Oh, right. The reward¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    It was between the Bestiary and the Apothecary¡¯s Primer. They were both still there, so Graham or Orion hadn¡¯t completed a different room before her. The corner of her mouth twitched up. ¡°I¡­ I guess I didn¡¯t do too badly?¡± It was an awful trial, but she¡¯d done it. Pride swelled in her chest, though it was tempered by the memory of strangling that creature to death.

    She furrowed her brow. ¡°That creature¡­ would it be in the Bestiary? I kinda want to know what it was.¡± Maybe creatures of that species were all irredeemably evil and it deserved to die? Wouldn¡¯t that be great? Well, not great, because then there¡¯d be a species of horrible creatures roaming the world, but it¡¯d do wonders for her peace of mind.

    Still, the parasitic vine was the more pressing concern. She picked the Primer. The glass broke and she squeaked, covering her face. She peeked through her fingers and saw that there was a little cubby behind the broken glass. Within was a book with a green leather cover. It was about as thick as a pencil.

    She slid her hand into a sleeve to knock fragments of glass out of the way then grabbed the book. Apothecary¡¯s Primer was emblazoned on it in gold letters. She took a deep breath and tucked it into a pocket, heading down the stairs. She kept an eye out for traps¡­ just in case.

    <hr>

    Graham¡¯s hand reached up over the edge of the wall. Then, the other. He got his elbow over the edge and pulled himself up, collapsing once he was safe atop it. His face and clothes were drenched with sweat and his hands worn raw once more.

    It was hotter up here than at the bottom of the cliff. He turned his head, taking in a great pit of fire several meters down the path. ¡°Oh, dear God.¡± He took a moment to circulate to help him recover. When the energy poured in, he stood easily and went to investigate this new challenge.

    There wasn¡¯t much to investigate. It was a pit with fire billowing up from it. Very hot, and the fire prevented him from seeing how long it was. How to cross it? There had to be a way. Graham pried some of the green gems out of the wall before circulation ran out, building up a little pile. The energy faded, leaving him stiff and aching. But he¡¯d grown used to that.

    He did some stretches to work out the stiffness and picked up one of the gems, tossing it through the fire. He heard a clink as it hit the ground, but it sounded lower than it should. ¡°It must¡¯ve fallen into the pit. I¡¯ll have to throw farther.¡± He tried again, then again, before it sounded in the right place. He¡¯d estimate the gap at four or five meters.

    His face paled. ¡°Do they want me to¡­ jump?¡± That¡¯s just ridiculous! There¡¯d be no way to avoid burns if he jumped through those flames. Maybe there was a way to put it out? After searching for a while, he found a faint line engraved into the wall. It was just a bit too uniform to be natural.

    ¡°Maybe if I follow it, I¡¯ll find a way to shut the fire off?¡± That was¡­ if the fire could be shut off. Maybe they really wanted him to burn to a crisp. What if this game was just an elaborate death trap for their amusement? He shook his head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. The goal is still the same. Survive and get the fuck out of here.¡±

    One end of the line led into the fire pit, while the other led back to the entrance where he¡¯d climbed up. Near the cliff¡¯s edge, he saw the line curve out to the other side of the shaft, ending in a circle with a strange symbol inside. Graham¡¯s face fell. ¡°Am I going to have to climb over there?¡± It would be much more difficult than climbing up here had been. It wasn¡¯t a vertical incline, it was an overhang. He¡¯d have to do something even pros had trouble with.

    He bit his lip. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it. I¡¯ll fall. What happens if I can¡¯t circulate while falling? I¡¯ll go splat on the ground!¡± How the hell was he supposed to reach that mark?!

    <hr>

    Orion rolled back his sleeve to look at the message on his arm. Keep your wits about you. They can save you from unnecessary trouble, it read. Orion sighed and walked up the stairs. The room he came to at the top was floored with large tiles in a grid. Each tile had a picture on it; a bird, a tree, or a fish.

    ¡°Some kind of puzzle?¡± he thought. Were there any clues nearby? He looked around, but the black, stone walls were blank. He counted out the rows and columns; ten wide by twenty tall. The placement of each picture seemed random.

    He frowned and approached a tree tile, placing a foot on it. He kept his weight on his back foot so he could jump back if he needed to.

    The tile lit up, accompanied by others in branching paths of green, like the branches of a tree. Orion¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Is it showing the paths I can take?¡± Only three of the branches reached the other side. And what of the tiles that didn¡¯t light up? What if he stepped on them?

    He took a step back and tried a fish tile. As soon as he stepped on it, it sank into the ground, deeper than his height. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Why¡¯d it do that? It doesn¡¯t seem like a trap. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything dangerous down there.¡± After a short while, it raised back up. He stepped on it again, backing up as it sunk once more. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a reason for that.¡± Maybe he¡¯d find out when he tried the bird tile?

    He approached a bird tile and stepped on it. It sprang up, launching him spinning backward in the air. He fell on his back a few meters from the tile puzzle, gasping for breath. ¡°Damn! Knocked the wind out of me!¡± He beat his chest a few times, coughing.

    His eyes narrowed at the bird tile that had sunk back to its original position. ¡°So, that launches me into the air. What the hell is that good for?¡± He huffed and went back to the tree tile, memorizing the path that showed up. ¡°I just have to follow this and be aware of what tile I¡¯m stepping on.¡±

    He jumped to the closest one, another tree tile. The path stayed lit, but the tile behind went dark. The tile was wide enough to stand on with both feet, so he didn¡¯t have to balance himself on one foot.

    The next closest on the path was a bird tile. He decided not to take that one. There was another branching path with a fish tile, which seemed much more amenable. He hopped to it and let it sink into the ground. After a minute, it rose back up. However, the path was no longer lit. He wasn¡¯t standing on a tree tile. ¡°Which was the next on this path?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I think it was that tree tile.¡±

    It was two up and one to the left from his current tile. It¡¯d be a bit of a leap, but he could probably make it. He leapt and landed on the tile, but it glowed red. Orion¡¯s heart clenched up and he rolled to the next tile, a fish. It quickly sunk into the ground as arrows pierced the air overhead. A staccato of clinks rang out as the arrows sank into the wall on the other side.

    Orion grasped the chest of his robe, his breath shallow. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s what the fish is for. And I need to keep a better eye on the proper path. Mistakes are met with traps.¡± And, chances are, the bird was for reaching tiles you normally wouldn¡¯t be able to. Though, it seemed unnecessarily risky. What if it didn¡¯t launch you in the direction you wanted to go?

    Orion¡¯s tile rose back into place. He jumped back to the previous tree tile and took some time to memorize a good path. One that didn¡¯t require he use any bird tiles. It just wasn¡¯t a chance he wanted to take. Maybe if he had his shield to block the arrows¡­ of course, Graham had given it to Robin. Which was fine. He understood that she needed it before. Just, for a guy that got so upset when Orion wanted one of the fruit, he had few qualms about giving something of Orion¡¯s away.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how people are,¡± he thought. ¡°They do what¡¯s convenient for them. Even me. Being bitter about it won¡¯t help anyone. We need to work together to survive.¡± The path firmly engraved in his mind, he began the arduous task of traversing it, doing his best to not make any fatal blunders.

    When he came to a part of the path that was too far to jump normally, he simply pulled out the scripture and circulated. With the power of Qi, he was able to jump significantly farther. And it allowed him to avoid the risky bird tiles. Those were probably there in case you opened this room before receiving the scripture. At least, that¡¯s what he thought.

    He triggered a few more traps; one where the tile he landed on fell into a bottomless pit, another that sprayed fire at him, and one that was a bird tile in disguise, launching him to the left and off the path he¡¯d memorized. He dealt with the first two rather easily, thanks to being keenly aware of nearby fish tiles. The third was luck. He¡¯d landed right on a tree tile, which glowed green and showed him a different path that he could follow.

    And, finally, he made it past the puzzle. Then, he went to the next room.

 Chapter 15: Leaving

    Leaving

    Even the most inhospitable place can leave you with fond memories, depending on who you were there with. Life¡¯s all about connections, right?

    . . . . .

    Graham pressed his body to the stone, carefully shimmying along the wall. The mark was a few meters above him and to the left. The problem was, he couldn¡¯t get any further up. The wall went beyond ¡®steep¡¯ and became outright ridiculous. It curved inward, meaning he would have to climb entirely with his hands and he¡¯d be hanging freely above the deep shaft.

    He reached a trembling hand up, determined to reach that mark and extinguish the fire. If that¡¯s what the mark even did. He didn¡¯t know. He brought his hand back. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t even know it¡¯ll work. Why am I risking my life like this for an uncertainty?¡± He must¡¯ve gone insane from the effort of climbing the wall twice.

    He made his way back to the ledge. Just meters away, the fire raged within the hallway, heat billowing out and making him sweat. He gulped. ¡°Still, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m jumping through that.¡± There had to be a safe way to reach the mark! All the other challenges he¡¯d faced so far were reasonably accomplishable. Why would this be the one exception?

    He stared at it, rubbing his chin. ¡°If only I could fly¡­ It¡¯d be so much easier.¡± Just hop on over and touch it. That¡¯s all he¡¯d have to do. But who knew how far he was from building his Foundation. He knew it took most people years, at least. He¡¯d learned that much from watching Seeker Battles. Well, not the battles, specifically, but from the chatrooms he¡¯d joined to talk to other people about it.

    Of course, the validity of that information was a bit suspect, the internet being what it was, after all. Many people had no qualms about lying for the fun of it. Still, he¡¯d heard it from multiple sources, so it seemed legitimate.

    He shook his head. ¡°Getting off track, here.¡± He needed to focus on progressing past this ridiculous wall that had been placed in front of him. Maybe if he knew he could finish circulating before he fell, it wouldn¡¯t be so scary to try climbing over there. But, how would he test whether he could without actually risking his life?

    He blinked, then grabbed one of the remaining gems he¡¯d pulled out of the wall. He dropped it down the shaft and counted the seconds until it hit. Four seconds. He paled. ¡°That¡¯s not nearly enough time!¡± He thought back to the fight with the panther. That¡¯d taken¡­ what? A minute? He couldn¡¯t quite recall, but four seconds wouldn¡¯t cut it. Maybe if he circulated before he¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± he shouted. ¡°I can just circulate, jump, press the mark, then I¡¯ll have plenty of circulation left to survive the fall!¡± It was genius. There were absolutely no flaws in this plan that he could see at this moment in time directly after he¡¯d thought of it. Which meant it was genius.

    He drew in energy, feeling it fill him with power and expand his senses. His confidence in this idea soared. He leapt, crossing the gap like a dirty puddle, and smacked his hand on the mark. There wasn¡¯t any time to see if it worked, as he was already falling. With a great bang, he smacked into the ground feet first, feeling his bones creak and vibrate. But, they didn¡¯t break.

    It was as the energy faded that he realized he¡¯d consigned himself to climbing the fucking wall again!

    <hr>

    Robin nearly fell into the room, relief flooding her as the door closed behind her and cut her off from the awful experiences she¡¯d been forced to go through. The room was empty. She frowned. ¡°I guess I should¡¯ve known.¡± There was nothing to do but wait, which wasn¡¯t one of her favorite activities.

    She walked around a pile of fish that would probably start to smell in a few hours. Graham had brought them back to eat, but she didn¡¯t even want to touch them. Not that she wasn¡¯t hungry, they were just¡­ gross.

    She huddled in front of the fire, staring into it until a lock of her hair began to brush her nose. It bothered her, so she pulled out the band that kept her hair back and shook it out. It fell to a little past her shoulders. She grabbed a lock and cringed at how greasy it was. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a shower in¡­ two days¡­ I kinda envy Graham. He got to wade through a pool of water.¡± She grimaced. ¡°Though, I wouldn¡¯t want to have to deal with the fish.¡±

    Chances are, she wouldn¡¯t be able to clean herself properly until she got home. If she ever got home¡­ Tears welled up at the thought of her home. That brought memories of her family, which was shortly followed by the memory of strangling her father¡¯s look-a-like. She sobbed and slapped her cheeks. ¡°That wasn¡¯t him! It wasn¡¯t even human! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not my fault. The vines moved on their own.¡± She wiped her face. ¡°I tried to stop them, but they wouldn¡¯t listen. It¡¯s not my fault.¡±

    Some time passed as Robin tried not to think of what she¡¯d done in that room. Then, Graham arrived.

    <hr>

    ¡°The Apothecary Primer was already gone. Which means Robin must¡¯ve got to it, first. I knew she had it in her!¡± Graham thought. He couldn¡¯t help but be proud of Robin. She seemed so timid and skittish, but she¡¯d pulled through a challenge most would succumb to. She didn¡¯t show it much, but she had some spine.

    He smiled as he approached the door that would let him back out. Climbing up the wall again was arduous, but he¡¯d managed. He actually felt stronger for it. Not just when he was circulating but in general. Which was strange, cause it usually took a lot longer to feel the benefits of working out.

    It turns out he was right about the mark. As soon as he¡¯d reached the top again, the fire had been gone. He¡¯d worried that it couldn¡¯t be that simple, but those worries were for nothing.

    He rubbed his eyes and yawned as he turned the door handle, holding the Bestiary in his other hand. He was too tired to properly look at it, right now. If Orion had already entered the last room, they¡¯d be getting out of here, soon. Which meant he should try to get some rest before that happened. This tower was much more secure than whatever random shelter they¡¯d find outside.

    Robin sat by the fire, her arms wrapped around her legs. Graham grinned. ¡°Robin!¡±

    She twisted around, staring at him with wide eyes. Bloodshot eyes, with red skin around them. Like she¡¯d been crying. Graham grimaced. ¡°Of course she must¡¯ve cried. After going through whatever was past the door? Still, I wonder what she¡¯s upset about?¡±

    She had some bruises, too, on either cheek. Graham grit his teeth and sat next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Are you alright? Any serious injuries?¡±

    She shook her head, making her hair toss around. There was a lock of lavender that he hadn¡¯t noticed there before. She looked good with her hair down.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°A little tired.¡±

    Graham smiled. ¡°Me, too. You got the book?¡±

    She held it out to him. The Apothecary¡¯s Primer, which might be just what they need to remove the parasitic vine. Maybe. He set the Bestiary in the space between them. ¡°I¡¯ve got the other. So, mission accomplished, right?¡± he said, smiling.

    Robin nodded silently and set the primer down on top of the bestiary. Graham frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a look? Oh! I bet you already checked out the primer! Did you find out what the vine is?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Robin closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t checked.¡±

    Graham frowned. Why wouldn¡¯t she check? She seemed eager to remove the thing before¡­ Had something changed while she was in that room? She was obviously upset.

    Het set himself and asked. ¡°Robin? What happened to you in that room?¡±

    She flinched and raised her head, not meeting his eyes. ¡°I¡­ I killed something.¡± She went on to explain the nature of her trials. Being forced to make choices quickly. Being chased by some creature she hadn¡¯t even been able to make out in the darkness. Jumping into a pit to avoid a gruesome death. And then¡­

    ¡°I found my father. Sitting in a room and singing like he was at home.¡± She clenched her eyes shut. ¡°I know I should¡¯ve suspected something! I know! But I was so happy to see him!¡± She sobbed and Graham put an arm around her. She leaned into him, crying into his shoulder.

    After a short while, she regained control of herself and drew in a deep breath. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t him. It was some¡­ creature. It chased me, and it didn¡¯t want me to leave. I don¡¯t know what it wanted with me, but I knew it wasn¡¯t good, so I ran. When it finally caught me, I¡­ I¡­ the vines moved on their own and wrapped around its neck.¡±

    Her arms threaded around Graham¡¯s back, and she clutched his shirt. ¡°I strangled it to death on top of me!¡± Her tears came again, followed by whimpers and sobs. Graham rubbed her back in circles, not sure what else he could do for the distraught woman.

    ¡°Fuck, killing someone who looks exactly like your father? How do you deal with that?¡± he thought. It was beyond fucked up. Whoever put that thing in there deserved a swift punch to the gut¡­ from someone far stronger than Graham. He looked down at Robin. She¡¯d nearly crawled into his lap at this point.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but also¡­ kinda sweet that she trusts me so much.¡± He chuckled softly to himself and pulled her close. ¡°Is this what it¡¯s like to have a little sister?¡± He really couldn¡¯t tell, as he was an only child. He was sure his mother would¡¯ve loved to have another child, but¡­ after her accident that wasn¡¯t really an option.

    He shook his head. ¡°I need to say something to Robin. Calm her down, somehow. But, what?¡± Comforting someone was a rare event for him. He couldn¡¯t think of many people that were close enough to him to come to him with their problems.

    He searched his brain for a moment then spoke, ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s not your fault, Robin. You did what you had to do. There¡¯s not much choice in a place like this.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, her breaths evening out. Graham quirked a brow. ¡°She¡¯s asleep? Well, I imagine she must¡¯ve been tired¡­¡± But what was he supposed to do now? He couldn¡¯t move for fear of waking her. And he didn¡¯t really feel like doing that. She deserved rest.

    His eyes fell on the books to his side. ¡°Well, I could look through those, I guess?¡±

    He shrugged and picked up the bestiary. It wasn¡¯t long before the book fell from limp hands.

    <hr>

    Orion came in a few hours later, a book in hand and silver medallion around his neck. Graham frowned as he awoke. ¡°That wasn¡¯t there before.¡±

    He cleared his throat. ¡°How did it go?¡± he asked.

    Orion sat, glancing at Robin in Graham¡¯s lap. ¡°Not too bad. I had to solve a couple puzzles, but they weren¡¯t too difficult. I even got two rewards.¡± He flicked the medallion at his neck and raised the book in his hand.

    ¡°The book on Sigilcraft and a shield talisman,¡± he explained. He pursed his lips. ¡°So, what¡¯s with¡­¡± He waved a hand at Robin.

    Graham pursed his lips. ¡°She had a rough time in there. I guess she just needed to cry it out, cause she fell asleep afterward.

    Orion snorted and looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s my shield?¡±

    Graham grimaced. ¡°I think she must¡¯ve lost it in her room.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me! She couldn¡¯t even hold onto a damn shield?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. She had her own circumstances to worry about. And it¡¯s too late to do anything about it, now.¡±

    Orion scrubbed at his hair. ¡°Agh, whatever. Not that big a deal.¡± He glanced at the hallway that led to the exit. ¡°We leaving soon?¡±

    Graham nodded. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no reason to stay here, anymore.¡±

    <hr>

    The bricks rearranged into an archway, letting them out. The sky was cloudy, like it was about to rain, and the sun was on the verge of rising¡­ or setting. Graham couldn¡¯t quite tell. Rising seemed more likely, though.

    Robin tugged on his arm after they¡¯d all left the tower. ¡°Where do we go from here?¡± Orion looked at him in interest, as well.

    Graham ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Leave¡­ I guess. There are walls all around us, but I saw a crack in the cliffs from up on that hill. If we can make it there, we might be able to pass through and find our way back to civilization. I hope.

    Orion grunted. ¡°Which way is that pass, though?¡±

    Graham blinked, looking to the sky. If the sun was rising, then he knew which way was East. But, he didn¡¯t trust his sense of direction. It¡¯d be better to confirm it with his own eyes. He set his eyes on a tall tree. ¡°I¡¯ll go check, real quick.¡±

    Robin frowned. ¡°What? How?¡±

    He pointed up. ¡°I¡¯ll climb. Don¡¯t worry, compared to earlier, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Earlier?¡± she mumbled, frowning.

    Graham hopped up and grabbed onto a low branch, hauling himself up. ¡°Back in that last room,¡± he called down. ¡°I had to climb a pretty tall cliff. Not, like, the cliffs surrounding this place, but still pretty tall.¡±

    He hauled himself up in short order, feeling how much easier it was. The branches made for amazing holds and he could get his legs around them and everything. He wasn¡¯t clinging to a cliff face anymore so it was so much easier. As he neared the top, he found a good branch to perch on and took a look out. The wind blew strong up here, a refreshing coolness that ran through his hair and dragged across his skin.

    Though the spots covered in dried blood didn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°I could really use a proper bath,¡± he thought. He looked to the sun. ¡°So, that¡¯s East. Then, North must be to my left.¡± He turned to the left and saw the pass. Beyond the bog with the shimmering air. The angle of the light made it impossible to see the terrain of the pass, as it was cast into shadow.

    He looked down. ¡°It¡¯s that way!¡± he called, pointing. Orion waved a hand to indicate he¡¯d heard. While he was up there, Graham took another cursory glance around and saw something strange on the mountain to the West. Something big was moving on it. It looked like a brown blob from the distance, but the fact he could see it at all meant it must be fucking huge.

    ¡°Glad we¡¯re not going that way. I¡¯d rather not find out what that is.¡± At least, not until he was strong enough to blast it to pieces in one go. Then, he¡¯d definitely go over there. He made his way back down, patting Robin on her shoulder and leading the way toward the bog. It¡¯d be a drag to wade through that place, but there was no helping it. They had to get through.

    Despite climbing the cliff in the tower, he didn¡¯t have any confidence in challenging a real cliff. Especially not when there were flying creatures roosting in the crevices, likely looking for their next meal.

    <hr>

    They hadn¡¯t gotten far from the tower when trouble showed up. Gloria and James were back. Robin gasped and her hand went to her arm. Graham stepped in front of her. Orion kept a wary eye on them.

    ¡°They¡¯ve got a crazy look in their eyes. Have they gotten worse?¡± Graham wondered. Without much ado, they attacked. James leapt at Graham, arms outstretched. ¡°Fuck. I don¡¯t think Robin is any condition to fight. Hopefully, Orion will pick up the slack.¡±

    The problem was that he wasn¡¯t sure the man would. Orion had been pretty upset when he found out Robin lost his shield. He hadn¡¯t said anything to her about it, but he might be brooding over it. ¡°I¡¯ll have to take care of this quickly, so she doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡± Besides, as far as he knew, she couldn¡¯t circulate without the scripture, yet.

    James collided with him and they rolled on the ground as Graham tried to draw in energy. James snarled like a wolf and Graham could see vines creeping out from beneath his shirt, thick and dark like Robin¡¯s had been before she¡¯d circulated. There wasn¡¯t any doubt left. These two were possessed by that creepy plant. Would Robin have ended up like this in different circumstances? For some reason, the thought hurt.

    Graham tried to shove James off, but the vines had wrapped around his arms. James smashed his forehead into Graham¡¯s nose, sending his head reeling back. ¡°Son of a bitch! Again with the headbutts!¡± Gloria had done the same damn thing, before.

    As they struggled, Graham slowly grasped energy from the surroundings and pulled it in until he was flushed with power. He grinned as his strength amplified and threw his arms to the side, tearing away the vines binding them. ¡°Haha! This won¡¯t even be a challenge, now!¡±

    He launched James into the air with a leg, then he launched himself with his hands. He spun in the air, whipping a kick to James¡¯s face that sent him hurtling away, rolling and bouncing along the ground until he ran smack into the base of a tree.

    Graham landed lightly on his feet, having righted himself from the kick. His jaw fell. ¡°Holy shit! I can¡¯t believe I moved like that!¡± It was just like he¡¯d pictured in his head, but the coordination required should have been beyond him. His body had just moved exactly the way he wanted it to. He held up a shaking hand and used the other to keep it still, laughing maniacally. This was what a Seeker could do. It was incredible. And it was only the very tip of the iceberg.

 Chapter 16: Unintentional

    Unintentional

    In certain circumstances, small mistakes can become big ones. Carelessness from one point of view can be malice from another. Not much you can do about how others interpret your actions, though.

    . . . . .

    Robin watched in horror as her two former companions appeared again. They looked to be in even worse condition. James¡¯s hair was falling out, vines crawled visibly under his skin, his cheeks were gaunt, and one of his eyes had a popped vessel, turning the entire sclera red.

    Gloria had lost any of the kindness she¡¯d previously shown. Frothy whiteness dripped from the corner of her mouth, her eyes stared off in different directions, and she was constantly twitching. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Robin thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re like that when I¡¯m¡­ when I got so lucky¡­¡± This might¡¯ve been her if she¡¯d gone to investigate that vine creature with them. As it was, she¡¯d gotten the parasite almost a day after them, and that gave her the time to find a way to fight it.

    Well, Graham had found out how to fight it, but he¡¯d only taken her in because she¡¯d still had her sanity. ¡°What would they think of me for abandoning them like that?¡± As soon as she had a chance to work with people who weren¡¯t going insane, she¡¯d abandoned the two. How could she not realize what a terrible thing to do that was? She¡¯d spat in the face of the goodwill Gloria had shown her.

    They attacked and she couldn¡¯t move. Graham stepped in front of her, getting tackled by James. With Graham out of the way, Gloria was free to aim for her. Robin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No, please! I¡¯m sorry! Don¡¯t attack!¡±

    She cringed away with a hand on her arm, too afraid to fight back. ¡°What if the vine tries to kill her, too? I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone!¡± The attack from Gloria didn¡¯t come. Just as before, Orion had restrained her without too much problem. He had her flat on the ground with a knee to her back and her arms pulled behind her.

    Robin sighed, putting a hand to her chest. She checked on Graham, just in time to see James flying away and Graham flip in the air, landing on his feet. Her jaw fell. ¡°Wha¡ª? How did he¡­?¡± Graham had just displayed some kind of acrobatics she¡¯d never known he could do.

    He began laughing, a hearty laugh from the diaphragm. It was like he was really enjoying himself. But that couldn¡¯t be. They¡¯d just been attacked. What was fun about that? Orion didn¡¯t seem to be having fun, either.

    ¡°Ah man, did you guys see that? That was really incredible,¡± Graham said.

    Orion frowned. ¡°Yeah, I saw. Was that really necessary?¡±

    Robin nodded. It really did seem like overkill. Her eyes widened and she looked to where James had fallen, a score in the dirt leading up to him. He wasn¡¯t moving.

    ¡°Ah, come on! I just wanted to see if I could do it. It was like I was in one of those kung-fu movies, right?¡±

    Robin ran to James¡¯ side, feeling for a pulse. Vines slipped out of the neck of his shirt, grasping for her hand, but they lacked strength. James didn¡¯t have a pulse. Robin tried to stand, but her legs gave out halfway and she fell back, scooting as far from James as she could. Her stomach turned more than a stormy sea.

    She couldn¡¯t keep it down and curled on her side to vomit. ¡°James. A man that I met just a few days ago. He¡¯s dead.¡± He hadn¡¯t been her friend. Hell, she¡¯d barely known him. But their brief companionship created a small connecting thread between them, and now it was severed permanently. A man¡¯s life had ended because Graham wanted to show off his new prowess.

    In an instant, all the doubts she¡¯d felt about him before returned tenfold. Was Graham really the kind and caring person she thought he was? Had she been deceived, again? For all she knew, he could be a monster in a man¡¯s skin! Stranger things had happened. Recently.

    Her eyes stung with tears as she looked up. ¡°You killed him!¡± she shouted. How could Graham be so careless? He¡¯d fought Gloria before and knew she wasn¡¯t much stronger than a normal person. Being infected by the vine hadn¡¯t made them any more powerful. Yet, he¡¯d gone out of his way to cause a tremendous amount of damage, kicking James so hard that the landing killed him!

    Graham looked like a deer in the headlights. Maybe he hadn¡¯t meant to do it, but that kind of carelessness¡­ She thought he was better than that.

    She wiped her mouth and stood. ¡°You¡­ you actually¡­¡± A stream of tears rolled down her cheek. Her eyes became steely and she fixed Graham with a glare. ¡°What is wrong with you!?¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to look at him anymore. She stalked off into the woods.

    <hr>

    Graham stared at the body of James, a hand fisted in his hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I never thought he¡¯d die!¡± he told himself. ¡°I just wanted to¡­ to test my strength is all. What¡¯s so bad about that? It¡¯s not like I knew this would happen.¡±

    But, rationalize as he might, there was no changing it. He¡¯d killed a man. Sure, that man had attacked him first, but he wasn¡¯t in his right mind. It felt like someone had buried a lump of lead in his gut and it just sat there, weighing on him. He looked to Orion, who was still restraining Gloria.

    ¡°Hey, you know that was an accident, right? I didn¡¯t do that on purpose. You know that.¡±

    Orion sighed. ¡°No, Graham. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the type that kills people on purpose. I do think you¡¯re an idiot. And careless. But you¡¯re not a bad person.¡± He glanced off into the trees. ¡°It seems Robin isn¡¯t so sure, though.¡±

    Graham pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°Do you think you could go after her? It¡¯s probably not a good idea for her to be alone out here.¡±

    Orion tilted his head. ¡°What about her?¡± He gestured to Gloria. ¡°I can¡¯t just let her go. She¡¯ll attack us again.¡±

    Graham put his hands on his hips. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the tower. She¡¯ll be safer in there than out here. And¡­¡± He looked at James. ¡°I need to dig a grave, too.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Give me an hour or two before you come back, alright?¡±

    Orion nodded and let Graham take over restraining her. She wasn¡¯t struggling much anymore, likely too tired to continue. They couldn¡¯t really restrain her, as the only rope-like things they had were vines and it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea to trust them to keep her tied. She might find some way to undo them with her own vines.

    Graham marched her to the tower and opened it the same way he had before. He pushed her in, stopping in the doorway. ¡°If I go any further, I might get trapped in here again.¡±

    She turned and snarled at him, but she didn¡¯t attack. Her eyes flicked around, her arms up at the ready so that she could attack if she wanted to.

    Graham smirked. ¡°I guess she knows she can¡¯t beat me. So she¡¯s still capable of learning?¡± That might be a good sign. Graham actually wanted to do something to help Gloria. Maybe it would make up for killing James. If only a little bit. But, if he could help Gloria return to how she was, Robin might forgive him for what he did. The memory of the way she looked at him before twisted in him. A mixture of pain and regret that he¡¯d be happy to get rid of, by any means.

    ¡°If you can understand me then listen up. There are things in this tower that can help you. Maybe you¡¯ll be able to get rid of that parasite, too.¡± He reached into his pocket, pulling out the scripture he¡¯d retrieved from Orion. ¡°I¡¯ll even give you this. You¡¯ll probably make better use of it than us.¡± Robin and Orion would be able to figure out how to circulate without it. It just took a bit of practice and they had him to help them.

    Plus¡­ it¡¯d give him a good reason to talk to Robin. If he was going to apologize and actually be heard, he needed some way to make her listen. This was what he came up with.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    He tossed the scripture in and backed out of the doorway. ¡°Good luck.¡± The stone shifted and the entrance disappeared. ¡°Now all that¡¯s left is digging a grave. I don¡¯t have a shovel or anything, though. This is gonna be tough.¡±

    There was little choice but to use his hands, which wasn¡¯t an attractive proposition. He shook his head. It couldn¡¯t be helped. He¡¯d brought this on himself. ¡°I need to be more aware of the damage I can do. I can¡¯t carelessly use Qi to fight other people.¡±

    He returned to where they¡¯d been attacked, intending to dig the grave there to save him the time and effort of dragging James elsewhere. However, something had changed. The area where James had been was completely overgrown with leaves and vines. They were growing at a visible pace.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± A writhing mass stood right where James had been, twisting, pulling, and very dense. Was James at the center of that? ¡°So James died but the vine didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t get what¡¯s happening, but it can¡¯t be good!¡±

    The growth stopped spreading, leaving a several meter wide patch of dark green vegetation, as tall as a man and too thick to see through. And at the center of it all was an even taller lump of twisted vines.

    Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is this how it reproduces? Infect people or animals and when they die a new plant grows from their body? Shit, if I leave that alone, someone else might get caught by it. But how can I deal with that massive plant?¡±

    This wasn¡¯t something circulation would solve. What would punching that thing do? There was no way he could generate enough force to cause any real damage. And it¡¯d put him at risk of being infected with a parasite. Fire might do the trick, but he didn¡¯t have access to any.

    Vines started reaching out for him, the vines at the center mass pulsing faster like a beating heart. Graham hopped away and took more distance, but they followed. ¡°Dammit! I need to get out of here. There¡¯s nothing I can do about this thing. I just hope Orion and Robin are far enough away. I really don¡¯t want Robin to figure out what happened to James.¡±

    He took off in the direction he remembered Robin heading in. ¡°I hope I can find them again.¡± He¡¯d been intending to wait back there until Orion brought Robin back, but that wasn¡¯t an option anymore.

    As he ran, he noticed marks on some of the trees. ¡°Oh, I see. Orion marked his path. Smart.¡± By following the scratches in the trees, he managed to spot them. He stopped before they noticed him, observing. Robin might not be ready to see him yet and the vines didn¡¯t seem to reach here, so there wasn¡¯t a hurry. Barging in now might just make things worse.

    Robin sat at the base of a tree, her arms huddled around her knees. Orion stood against a tree a few meters away. They weren¡¯t talking or anything. ¡°Has she calmed down? I hope so. I hope Orion didn¡¯t say something that actually made her angrier.¡± He frowned. ¡°He can be a bit blunt¡­¡±

    After a while, Robin stood and said something to Orion. ¡°Good. Maybe she¡¯s calmed down some.¡±

    <hr>

    Graham joined up with the other two. Orion ran a hand through his hair and gave him an apologetic smile. Robin trembled upon seeing him, her eyes dark. ¡°Crap, she¡¯s still mad.¡± He braced himself. ¡°Well, if she¡¯s gonna yell at me, so be it. I deserve it, at this point.¡±

    She grabbed one arm to steady both, gripping tight. ¡°I hate to ask this, Graham, but did you¡­ steal James¡¯s shoes?¡± she asked, her voice quiet.

    Graham tensed up. That had to be the last thing he wanted her to find out. Not only had he killed the guy, he¡¯d done it while wearing his shoes. It was such an inane detail, but there wasn¡¯t any way he could pass it off as an accident. It was a deliberate act and she knew it. His eyes flicked to Orion, who looked away, his arms crossed protectively around his chest. He even had a hand around the shield charm he¡¯d gotten from the last room.

    ¡°Does he think I¡¯m gonna attack him? It¡¯s more likely I¡¯ll be the one attacked.¡± Because there was no way to deny he¡¯d stolen a dead man¡¯s shoes. So, he nodded.

    Robin began trembling again, hugging herself with both arms. ¡°I-I-I can¡¯t be-believe you!¡± she ground out between clenched teeth. ¡°How could you do something like that and then pretend like everything was okay?!¡± She took a breath to calm down. ¡°You lied to me. You lied right to my face, for nearly the entire time I knew you.¡±

    Graham pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I did what I needed to. I was missing a shoe and it hindered me considerably. I needed new shoes, so I took them from someone who tried to rob me¡ªwho might¡¯ve killed me if given the chance!¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t even sane! The parasite was controlling him!¡±

    Orion blinked, unfolding his arms. ¡°Hey, what¡ª¡±

    ¡°What does that matter?!¡± Graham said. ¡°He tried to rob me and take my last healing fruit, which is much more valuable than a fucking pair of shoes! It was just compensation for inconveniencing me!¡±

    ¡°You stole shoes from a dead man!¡± Robin shouted, taking a step forward and sticking a finger in his face. ¡°That¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s despicable!¡±

    Graham snarled. ¡°He wasn¡¯t dead when I took them! And I never meant to kill him. I¡¯ve never even considered killing anyone! It was an accident. I underestimated my own strength. It could¡¯ve happened to anyone!¡±

    ¡°So stealing from a mentally deranged man is supposed to be somehow better than robbing a corpse?! How can you be trying to justify yourself right now?¡±

    Graham grit his teeth. ¡°Because¡­¡± He threw his hand to the side. ¡°I¡¯m not in the wrong, here! I did what I needed to do to survive and I don¡¯t regret the actions I took. Even if it led to a result that I didn¡¯t like, at least it kept me alive! If I didn¡¯t have these shoes, I probably would¡¯ve died in the first goddamn room!¡±

    Robin faltered, taking a step back. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Even so, there had to be another way. You can¡¯t just take what you need like that. It¡¯s awful!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do it, but there wasn¡¯t much choice. My life is my number one priority, and if someone that I don¡¯t know¡ªsomeone that attacked me¡ªends up dying because of my actions¡­ I¡¯ll just have to live with that. But I can only do that if I fucking live in the first place!¡±

    Robin shook her head, tears in her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no talking with you. Why can¡¯t you understand that you¡¯re wrong! What you did is wrong! You can¡¯t honestly believe this was all for the best!¡±

    Graham rubbed his face. ¡°I never said it was for the best. I said I don¡¯t regret what I did. Only how it turned out.¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°I don¡¯t even get why you¡¯re so upset. You said you hardly even knew James. It¡¯s not like I killed Gloria. She¡¯s just fine. Can¡¯t we just let this go?¡±

    Robin¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°Let it go?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°So, you just want to forget about it? I can¡¯t believe you!¡± She marched up, her hand reeling back, palm open. Graham spread his feet, readying himself.

    Robin swung¡­ and Orion caught her arm. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± He looked back and forth between them, a small frown on his face. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or the place. You can go at each other all you want once we get out of here, but not now!¡±

    Robin let her arm go limp, biting her lip. Graham relaxed his stance, rubbing his neck.

    Orion narrowed his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re all under a lot of stress, but we have to work together. If the two of you can¡¯t do that, then I¡¯m leaving.¡± He looked at Graham. ¡°Which way is the bog?¡±

    Graham pointed it out for him.

    Orion nodded. ¡°Walk in front.¡± He turned to Robin. ¡°Walk behind me.¡±

    And so, they proceeded in single file, Orion blocking each other from view.

    <hr>

    The bog spread out before them in all its sopping, muddy, stinky glory. And it stank. ¡°What is that? Sulfur? This gas is awful,¡± Graham thought. It bubbled up out of the muddy pools of water and filled the air with shimmers. That must be what he saw from the hill and from up in the tree.

    Robin pressed her sleeve to her nose. ¡°Do we really have to go through here?¡± she said through the fabric. ¡°Can¡¯t we go around or something?¡±

    Orion pressed forward, getting his feet wet in the muddy path. ¡°That¡¯d just waste time. The exit¡¯s right there. Let¡¯s get to it.¡±

    Robin cringed as she watched his feet squelch in the mud, sinking up to his ankles. She turned to Graham and her eyes hardened. She entered the bog.

    Graham sighed and followed. ¡°Everything¡¯s really gone to shit.¡± Looking at Robin made his chest hurt. Just hours ago and they¡¯d been good friends, comrades in this hostile place. Now, she hated his guts and he couldn¡¯t really blame her.

    He still didn¡¯t regret stealing those shoes, and he wasn¡¯t about to pretend he did for her benefit. She wouldn¡¯t accept that anyway and if she found out he was faking it, she¡¯d just become angrier.

    ¡°If I could just rewind time so I didn¡¯t kill James, everything would be fine.¡± It was strange. He¡¯d taken a life but didn¡¯t really feel like that was the case. When James had died, he was already thoroughly corrupted by the parasite. He was more like an animal than a man. Is that why it didn¡¯t feel real to Graham?

    His foot got stuck in some deeper mud and he cursed at the offending goop. ¡°Dammit! At this rate, I¡¯ll lose the shoes that cause me all this trouble in the first place. I bet Robin would get a kick out of that!¡± He winced and shook his head. That wasn¡¯t true. Robin wasn¡¯t the sort to laugh at others¡¯ misfortune. Even if she hated them.

    He looked up and his eyes widened. ¡°Crap, they¡¯re actually pretty far ahead.¡± With a heave, he pulled out his foot and tried to catch up. ¡°Hey, wait up!¡± he called.

    The ground rumbled, putting them all off balance. A bulge formed in the distance, mud rising up to meet the sky. Slowly, it took shape, mud sloughing off in glops. As the mud fell, it revealed what had lain underneath. Scales or plates of some kind, yellowish brown.

    Then, the massive shape opened its mouth and roared, foul air bursting through teeth like stalagmites. It was a tremendous lizard. It snapped its gaping maw shut, teeth scraping and making sparks. The air ignited.

 Chapter 17: Separated

    Separated

    Never let an argument fester. They only get worse as time goes on. And you may not always get the chance to make amends.

    . . . . .

    A wave of pure fire bore down on him. He hardly had time to think before he spotted the hole in the ground. Just big enough to fit him. He leapt, narrowly avoiding the flames as they washed over the entire bog. Down, he fell, further and further. He started circulating as he bounced against the narrow walls of this tube he was in, if only to prevent bruising.

    He hit ground, kicking up a plume of dust and cracking the rocks beneath him. Were it not for Qi, he would be the one cracking. His eyes opened. He was in some kind of cavern. Purple crystals grew from the walls, some larger than cars and other as small as a needle. They painted the cavern in their violet light.

    Graham stood, wiping off his back. He looked up. ¡°It¡¯s far. I¡¯m not sure I could jump back up.¡± He pulled up a hand as the energy faded away. ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t circulate for a while, anyway.¡± There was a path to his front and another to his back. Maybe he could find some other way out? Or, really, that was his only choice.

    ¡°What about Robin and Orion? Were they¡­¡±  He bit his lip. He¡¯d escaped the flames, but there was no way to know if they had. ¡°Fuck, don¡¯t be dead, you two. I don¡¯t want to be stuck here all alone. Especially not when we left off on such a bad foot.¡± Maybe if he and Robin hadn¡¯t had that argument, they wouldn¡¯t have been separated. They wouldn¡¯t have been walking single file like that, at least.

    ¡°But maybe that¡¯s the only thing that saved me? If I¡¯d been up there with them, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to jump in this cave.¡± He bit his lip harder, moving forward through the cavern. His feet crunched in the white sand that covered the ground.

    ¡°I have to get out of here, first. Then, I can find out what happened to them,¡± he decided.

    As he was climbing a large crystal that had blocked the path, he saw something happening on the ceiling. One of the crystals was changing color, becoming a dark blue, rather than purple. ¡°No, wait. There¡¯s another blue one further down.¡± They became brighter and brighter before a crack rang out and lightning surged between the two, making his hair stand on end.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± He slapped his hands over his ears, falling off the crystal. The sound echoed throughout the cave like a wailing banshee, deafening him until it faded into whispers. ¡°God, my ears won¡¯t stop ringing! What the hell was that?¡± he wondered.

    Some kind of anomaly? A freak occurrence? Or was it normal down here? He hoped it wasn¡¯t that last one. The tunnel he was following went down, rather than up. ¡°Damn, will this really lead me out? Should I turn back and try the other way?¡±

    The idea had some merit. He could be going down a dead end. Then again, the other way could be the dead end and he¡¯d just waste time by exploring it. Of course, there was the third option where they were both dead ends and there was no way back out of this place except to climb back up the hole he¡¯d fallen through.

    A nearly impossible feat, as it was in the middle of the ceiling. He wasn¡¯t a spider. He couldn¡¯t stick to the ceiling. Another crystal began to turn blue. It was close this time. ¡°Damn! Need to find cover!¡±

    He found a little cubby under a tilted crystal pillar and crawled in, putting his hands over his ears. It barely helped, the lightning strike thrumming through his head like a physical blow. ¡°At this rate, my eardrums are going to fucking shatter!¡±

    <hr>

    Orion groaned and pushed himself out of the mud, freeing Robin in the process. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Something had risen from the ground¡ªsomething enormous. And, suddenly, fire exploded toward them. ¡°The gas in the air ignited? I barely had time to push Robin into the mud.¡± The thick muck was deep enough to cover them if they lay down in it. It was what had protected them from the flames.

    Robin pushed herself out of the mud, wiping slimy gunk off her face. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no more gas, but that thing might still be here. We need to move.¡± He grabbed her arm and looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t see Graham? Did he die?¡± He bit his lip. ¡°No time to check.¡± And he was right. A nearby hill shifted and revealed itself to be the incredible reptile that they¡¯d seen before. Robin screamed and Orion quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

    ¡°Quiet,¡± he whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t think it knows we¡¯re alive.¡± The beast wasn¡¯t even facing them. It lay on the ground, curled up like a dog in its bed. Orion wiped some mud from his face. ¡°Robin. You¡¯re gonna have to learn to circulate, now. If that thing notices us, we have to get out of here as quick as possible.¡±

    The only choice was to go back. They couldn¡¯t make it to the cliff pass without circling around the lizard. That was asking for death. He looked down at Robin. She was shivering.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. Graham had the scripture¡­¡± Her legs lost strength and Orion had to stop her from falling. ¡°Oh my God. Graham¡­ is he¡­¡± Tears welled in her eyes.

    Orion grit his teeth and grabbed her chin. ¡°Not. Now. Breakdown later, understood?¡±

    She stared at him, swallowed, and nodded. He jabbed a thumb behind him. ¡°We¡¯re going back. Move quietly. Try to circulate. If you manage it, tell me.¡±

    He¡¯d have to figure out how to circulate without the scripture, as well. If they were lucky, they¡¯d both achieve it at the same time. The chances of that were low, though. Realistically, it was unlikely for both of them to make it out of there. If Robin were the first to do it, he¡¯d tell her to go and then try to deal with the lizard if it spotted them.

    If he managed it first? He was still thinking about that.

    They began moving, carefully pulling their feet from the muck to make the least amount of sound possible. They had to avoid places that had been scorched dry by the explosion, as the ground had turned brittle and crumbly. It¡¯d make too much sound if they walked on that.

    However, Robin spotted something. ¡°Orion, over there,¡± she whispered hoarsely. ¡°There¡¯s a hole in the middle of that scorched area. And I think it¡¯s right about where Graham would¡¯ve been.¡± She chewed on her lip, obviously wanting to check it out.

    ¡°You¡¯re not as angry at Graham as you seemed. Or it might be that she relies on him too much. How will she handle it if she finds out he really died?¡± Orion thought. It¡¯d be a shame for sure. Graham was a reliable companion, despite his flaws. He¡¯d forgiven Orion for acting unreasonable and he was very driven to get stronger. It¡¯d be a real loss if he died. But he¡¯d go on. He wanted to live, so he had to get out of here, with Graham or without.

    Robin tugged on his sleeve. ¡°Can we check it out?¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Orion¡¯s eyes flickered between the hole and the edge of the bog. It wasn¡¯t far to the edge. They could probably make it. But then, they might never know what happened to Graham. Orion rubbed his forehead. ¡°I liked it better when Graham made the decisions. Now, if this turns out bad, it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    He sighed and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Graham explored further down the tunnel, but it continued down at a slight incline. ¡°God damn it! Am I going the wrong way?¡± Maybe he should go back? It¡¯d been long enough for him to circulate again, so maybe he could try to make his way back up to the opening he¡¯d fallen through?

    Honestly, he just wanted to get the fuck out of here. Those lightning bolts had set his ears ringing and every time it stopped, another bolt would strike. It was unnerving having to be on the lookout for the change in color that indicated it was coming. Sometimes it happened further down in the tunnel, which meant there was no chance to see it and prepare himself.

    It just happened and the monstrous sound tore down the length of the tunnel, catching him unawares.

    He stopped as a different noise came from ahead. A keening howl that raised the hair on the back of his neck. Then again, the lightning did that too, when it leaked its charge into the air. There was a pattering that became closer and closer. Graham decided to climb on one of the crystals growing from the wall to hide.

    From on high, he watched as a horse-sized wolf loped into view. It looked like it belonged here, with silver fur and patches of purple crystals growing from its shoulders and legs. ¡°Let it pass. I don¡¯t really want to fight right now.¡±

    He was tired and that thing looked tough. And considering how his last fight went¡­ Well, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to start a new one. Even if his opponent was a monster. ¡°There¡¯s no way to know how I measure up¡ª¡± Actually, there was!

    He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the Bestiary. He¡¯d never taken a proper look at it, but now was good as ever. He flipped through the pages, searching for a picture that matched the beast he saw. Before he found it, the wolf sat on its haunches and howled. Several crystals in its vicinity began to glow blue. ¡°What the fuck!? Can it summon the lightning?¡±

    And then the crystal he was on began to glow. ¡°Damn it! I have to move!¡± He¡¯d have to time it right. Before the bolt struck, but not too much before. He¡¯d need the sound to mask the sound of his landing, else the wolf would notice him.

    He set his eyes on his landing spot and counted the seconds. ¡°The strike happens five seconds after it turns completely blue.¡± 3, 2, 1¡­

    He jumped! The glowing crystals flashed with electric light, each bolt striking the wolf. Graham landed on a crystal and rolled into a crevice, biting down a cry of pain at the incredible noise. He had to be quiet. The echoes wouldn¡¯t mask noise for long.

    He peeked over the side, down at the wolf. It was crackling with electric energy, its fur standing on end. Most of the lightning focused around the crystals that grew on it, dancing between them like violent streamers.

    The wolf crouched then took off at ridiculous speed, quickly moving out of his sight.

    Graham gulped. ¡°Glad it didn¡¯t see me¡­¡± Even with circulation, it looked like it¡¯d be hard to deal with. He was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t move that fast. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Wait? Can I?¡± It¡¯s not like he¡¯d spent much time running at full speed. Maybe he really was that fast?

    Right, he¡¯d been interrupted before checking the bestiary. ¡°I better do that. I want to find out more about that wolf.¡± And maybe the bear and the vine thing that¡¯d erupted from James¡¯s corpse and the thing that had pretended to be Robin¡¯s father, which had to be the creepiest of the lot. Also, he was a little curious about Little Blue. Why was he the only creature that¡¯d been friendly?

    He found the bear first. Urspine, a type of bear with spikes of bone growing from its back. Territorial and aggressive. It can launch its spikes at medium distances. Weakness - a blow to the nose will paralyze it, temporarily. The skin under its spikes is extremely sensitive.

    ¡°Huh, so I could¡¯ve really hurt it when I jumped on its back? If only it hadn¡¯t been shaking so much.¡± He shrugged. Ah well, it had turned out okay. He flipped through again.

    Lycris Hound, a large wolf-like creature with crystals growing from its body. It needs electricity to live, making it very rare. Mostly found on tall mountains. Can use electricity to strengthen itself and shock enemies. Weakness - separation from power-source.

    Graham clicked his tongue. ¡°As if that were possible. I don¡¯t even know how to get out of here, let alone get that thing out.¡± If it came down to a fight, he¡¯d just have to beat it to a pulp. Or run away.

    Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t find anything on the creature Robin had encountered or the vine thingy. Not even Little Blue was in the damn thing. ¡°Not very useful, is it? Two out of five is a pretty low ratio.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I should get moving before the Lycris Hound comes back.¡±

    He climbed down and continued

    <hr>

    Graham found a strange door. It was made of a dull metal and had a wheel on its face. ¡°Well, if a door is here, it might very well be an exit.¡± The door was set into the side of the tunnel, which continued into the distance. So, he could continue following the tunnel¡ªa hopeless endeavor, he¡¯d decided¡ªor he could check out this door.

    The answer was obvious, so he turned the wheel. It spun open easily, even after he let go. It cracked open, letting out a puff of air. Graham had to put his weight into pulling it, but eventually it slid open.

    Within was a circular room carved out of gray stone. A bit of the white sand spilled over the threshold from the tunnel floor. ¡°What the hell is this place?¡± It didn¡¯t look too dangerous, so he entered.

    Sooty patches of black could be seen here and there on the floor and walls and even the ceiling. A partially shattered and burned desk sat under a pile of charred papers. There was a circle carved into the ground, possibly another sigil, so Graham took care not to step on it.

    Opposite the entrance was some kind of safe set into the wall, wispy sigils carved into its surface. It had two doors that met in the center, though they were slightly ajar. ¡°Who the hell would build a place like this down here?¡±

    He went to the desk, pushing aside stacks of scorched papers in search of anything useful. He shouted and jumped back. ¡°A skeleton!¡± The stacks kept falling, tumbling away from the aged corpse. It lay huddled on the ground behind the half-destroyed desk.

    ¡°Somebody died down here? Some kind of explosion?¡± That would explain the scorch marks and the burnt rubbish. Still, that didn¡¯t tell him why that person was down here. Graham circled the desk and cleared a path to the skeleton with his foot.

    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s protecting something.¡± Underneath the tatters of its clothes, he could see something. He grimaced and pushed the corpse aside. It was some kind of book, small and bound in cracking leather.

    He picked it up, cringing at the smell that clung to it. The pages had warped, likely from being underneath a decomposing body. The decaying fats and oils probably seeped into it. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to burn my hand if I ever want it to be clean again¡­¡±

    Even so, he wanted to know what this person had protected with their life. What was in this little book that was so important? He set it on the ground so he could turn the pages with only a finger, rather than have to use¡ªand dirty¡ªboth hands.

    His brow furrowed. ¡°Seems like notes for¡­ a scripture?¡± His eyes widened. ¡®¡°This guy was creating a scripture?!¡± That seemed like it was something incredible! Of course, Graham didn¡¯t actually know if it was or not, but he¡¯d never heard of anyone actually creating a scripture. Then again, they had to come from somewhere, right?

    His eyes followed a passage that hadn¡¯t been destroyed by the decay:

    ...had to dissolve my cultivation again. The process was unstable, caused damage to my body. Next time, I¡¯ll try using the core from a Giant Eel combined with Lightning crystal. I expect it¡¯ll produce a new¡­

    Beyond that it was unreadable. ¡°The core of an eel and a lightning crystal? Like, the ones in this cave? Maybe he was trying to gain lightning powers?¡± To be honest, that sounded awesome. What was cooler than lightning? And after seeing that wolf, he¡¯d been awed by the power it wielded. If he could do that¡­

    He shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t a damn game. That kind of attitude is what got James killed! I can¡¯t act like these powers are toys for amusement. It¡¯s serious shit.¡±

    He flipped through and found another passage:

    I¡¯ve found the perfect formula! The problem was balance; I only had two elements when I needed three! I¡¯ve recorded the specifics in a scroll. If I can reach foundation building with this, I can get it officially recognized! My name¡¯ll become famous! Gereth, Master of Lightning! Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ve got a wolf to kill.

    No pages had writing after that. ¡°He went to fight a wolf? Is it the same one in this cave? Or, no, he died in this cave, in some kind of explosion. What happened?¡±

    If he¡¯d died to the wolf, his corpse would be outside in the cave. And the scorch marks were still unexplained. ¡°Hm, he said something about a scroll¡­¡± Hopefully it wasn¡¯t one of the papers on the ground. If so, it was probably destroyed or unreadable.

    He turned and his eyes landed on the safe set into the wall. ¡°In there?¡±

 Chapter 18: Lycris Hound

    Lycris Hound

    It¡¯s all well and good to go after what you want, but¡­ it pays to have a plan. Barring that, you should at least be light on your feet. Plans do tend to go awry.

    . . . . .

    Robin looked around in the darkness. The hole they¡¯d found ended up being a tube that went deep into the earth. They hadn¡¯t gone all the way down but had exited from an opening in the tube that led to a cave. Strange crashing sounds came from below, making Robin very reluctant to go further. Orion had agreed with her inclination.

    She bit her fingernails as the darkness seemed to encroach on her. ¡°Is Graham really here? Did we come down here for nothing?¡± If he was, why hadn¡¯t he stayed put so they could find him easily? She¡¯d tried calling out for him, but it just echoed into the darkness with no return. ¡°What should we do? We can¡¯t search for him in this darkness!¡±

    Orion stood close to the opening they¡¯d come through, the only source of light from the surface. He stared down the tube, though she wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking for. They really needed some kind of light¡­

    She snapped her fingers and shuffled over to the opening, pulling out the book she¡¯d kept in her pocket. The Apothecary¡¯s Primer. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll find something that can help?¡±

    She flipped through, looking for plants that glowed. If she could find one, they¡¯d have a light source!

    ¡°Robin, how much do you want to find Graham?¡± Orion asked.

    She looked up, jaw hanging. ¡°I¡­ what? I mean, he¡¯s our friend, right? We can¡¯t just¡­¡± she trailed off. Did she really want to find Graham? After what he¡¯d done?

    ¡°If you do, we may have to go further down.¡±

    She gave him a sharp look, then leaned over the edge.

    Orion pointed down. ¡°If you look closely, you can see a light at the bottom. I think Graham may have fallen all the way down. He wouldn¡¯t have had time to climb down properly like we did.¡±

    Robin bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ If he jumped in suddenly to avoid the fire¡­¡± But the noises coming up from below¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want to go down. Who knows what we¡¯ll find down there?¡± And what if they got there only to find Graham had died from the fall.

    She flinched back, shaking her head. ¡°No way. Graham wouldn¡¯t die from something like that. He¡¯s just¡­ he wouldn¡¯t!¡± Graham always seemed to know what to do. He always kept going, no matter what this place threw at him. He¡¯d been stabbed and cut, beaten and bruised, and he always looked forward. Planning his next move.

    She clenched at her chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his jacket. He¡¯d killed James, but she didn¡¯t want him to die. She was mad, yes, but it wasn¡¯t fair if he wasn¡¯t here for her to be mad at! They had to find him.

    She stood, her legs shaking. A quick pinch to the thigh stopped that. She met Orion¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <hr>

    After searching the safe, Graham found what he was looking for. Breathing Livewire, a scripture meant to place a living seed of lightning within the body, granting the user impressive control over the element.

    ¡°God, I want this!¡± It was so cool! Just imagining shooting bolts of lightning from his hands had him salivating. However, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Unlike the Standard Scripture, it took more than touching a sigil to practice.

    The scroll told him what he would need. The heart and the core of a Lycris Hound, along with a charged lightning crystal. He ran his hands over the smooth parchment. ¡°I¡¯ll have to kill that wolf and dig out its heart and core.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Then I have to eat the heart and use the sigil carved into the floor to combine the core and the lightning crystal into a lightning seed.¡±

    Getting the lightning crystal would be easy. They were all over this cave. Likely why Gereth was here in the first place. In fact, from the little he could glean from the man¡¯s journal, Gereth had brought that Lycris Hound here himself, along with another. ¡°Not really sure what happened to the other one, but I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t have to deal with two.¡±

    Well, he hoped there was only one. Maybe the other was hiding deeper in the cave? Or¡­ no. Gereth must¡¯ve used the other hound to test the scripture. Right? How would he know if the latest iteration of the scripture that involved the Lycris Hound would work if he didn¡¯t test it?

    That must mean there was only one.

    He grimaced, thinking of one of the other conditions for practicing the scripture. ¡°Do I really have to eat that things heart? The whole thing? Can I cook it?¡± How would that even taste? He¡¯d never had an animal¡¯s heart before. He¡¯d never really thought of it as food. It was something you were more likely to see in middle school biology.

    He pushed his disgust to the back of his mind. If he had to eat the damn thing, then he¡¯d do it. The powers this scripture promised were worth it. ¡°Guess I just have to find that wolf now, huh?¡±

    First thing¡¯s first, he strolled right outside, found a crystal the size of his arm and kicked it until it broke off. It took a few minutes but he accomplished it. ¡°Would¡¯ve been faster with circulation, but I don¡¯t want to tire myself out right now.¡±

    It felt like the cooldown period where he couldn¡¯t use it was shortening, but not by that much. Besides the cooldown period tended to get longer if he used it multiple times in a row. It was better to hold off until he really needed it.

    He picked up the jagged crystal and tossed it in the room. He looked to the left, the way he¡¯d come. ¡°There¡¯s really only one direction to go.¡± After all, he¡¯d passed the wolf before he found the room, so it must be that way. ¡°That kinda sucks. If I want to get out of here, I¡¯ll probably have to kill the wolf, come back here to make the lightning seed, then go back to find the hole I fell down.¡±

    He hated retracing his steps. It felt like such a waste of time. He¡¯d drop any game that made him backtrack too much, just because of how annoying it was. ¡°Of course, this isn¡¯t a game, so I don¡¯t have the option of ¡®dropping¡¯ it. Too bad.¡±

    He set off at a run.

    <hr>

    The wolf sat curled up on a fallen crystal, breathing lightly. Graham armed himself with the only remaining spike from the Urspine and began climbing to a higher crystal. ¡°If I can get a sneak attack, the fight¡¯ll be over before I know it.¡±

    Despite its resting state, sparks of electricity still crackled through its fur. Thunder crashed in the distance, but it didn¡¯t disturb the animal. Graham came to a crystal a good height over the wolf. He frowned. ¡°Am I gonna be shocked the moment I touch that thing?¡± The bestiary hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about it, but with the way it was constantly emitting sparks, it wasn¡¯t too far-fetched.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He held the spike in both hands, breathing deeply to prepare himself. Chances are, this fight would happen incredibly quickly. A fledgling Seeker versus a powerful beast. He¡¯d pay for front-row tickets to watch this fight, but he was feeling a little reluctant to take part in it. He also felt a bit excited. Who would come out on top? Would he defeat this monster and prove the strength he¡¯d gathered in the last few days?

    He closed his eyes and drew in the energy of the world. It felt a little different this time. More excited, almost tingly. As if the surroundings had affected the energy¡¯s composition. He slowly tipped forward and fell. The wind whistled past his ears, but he tuned it out. He positioned the spike in his hands, aiming it at the wolf¡¯s neck.

    The wolf¡¯s ears popped up and it spun, tailing whacking Graham out of the air. He bounced off a wall, twisting to land on his feet. The wolf lowered itself, growling at him. ¡°Alright, sneak attack failed. Guess my stealth stat is too low.¡± He kicked the ground, flying forward at high speed. The wolf floated out of the way like it was light as a feather. It swatted at him with claws every inch as big as Graham¡¯s spike.

    He kicked again, shattering the ground, and flew into the air. Head over heels, he watched the wolf for its next move. ¡°I don¡¯t have long. The time limit has lengthened, but I don¡¯t know by how much.¡± It¡¯d be great if he could find a stopwatch somewhere. Then he could just time it. It was crucial information, after all, knowing how long you could fight.

    Lightning danced around the wolf and gathered at a point between the two large crystals on its shoulders. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± He was still mid-air! ¡°I have to dodge!¡± He twisted as hard as he could, but that only made him spin. The crackling energy the wolf was gathering grew brighter, louder, almost as loud as the thunder.

    Graham had an idea. He put a hand near his waist, palm out. If Thinwell could gather water by spinning Qi, then maybe he could alter it slightly to just push the Qi out. Of course, that would have the opposite reaction on him, right? He sent energy to his hand, letting it sit there and gather. It felt like his hand would pop.

    He looked at the wolf, waiting. Its eyes shot open and met his. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted, unleashing the energy from his hand. Simultaneously, a writhing bolt of lightning struck the air and a burst of translucent force sent Graham to the ground.

    The wolf paused a moment as if confused that it hadn¡¯t hit. Graham almost laughed, but there wasn¡¯t time for that. He jumped to his feet and attacked again. He leapt at the unmoving wolf, dive kicking its left shoulder crystal. It shattered, but that caused him to slam into the wolf and bounce off. He screamed as lightning coursed through him, sending his limbs into spasms.

    Before he hit the ground, he forcibly overcame the spasming and threw his hand out to catch himself in a handstand. He flipped easily and regained his footing. ¡°Alright, maybe without both crystals it can¡¯t use that attack.¡± That was the theory he¡¯d been operating on when he¡¯d decided to aim for the crystal.

    His jaw fell. ¡°Wait, it seems to absorb electricity from the surroundings through those crystals. If I destroyed them all, would that have the effect of ¡®separating it from its power source¡¯?¡±

    It was worth a shot. He frowned. ¡°How much time do I have left?¡± Would he be able to destroy all the spikes before circulation ran out? It¡¯d be tough, especially since the wolf was bound to cotton on to his plan at some point. Something told him this animal was smarter than the average wolf.

    He leapt into the fray once more, aiming for the other shoulder-crystal. The wolf ducked the attack then launched its head upward, shocking Graham and knocking him higher. While he was still in the air, the wolf bounded off a few crystals to gain height, then fired itself downward at Graham.

    In a panic, Graham frantically used the Qi pulse maneuver from before. However, the wolf was too fast. He got his body out of the way, but it hit his extended arm at high speed. Intense pain accompanied a crack that was assuredly not thunder crashing in the distance. Graham screamed as he went spinning. He bounced on the ground, his broken arm flopping around uselessly and causing him further pain.

    He clutched the arm with his other, tears welling in his eyes as he bit down a cry of pain. ¡°Dammit, that thing¡¯s fast! I guess it was my fault for using aerial maneuvers. It made me a sitting duck compared to this thing.¡±

    It felt like it¡¯d already been two minutes and now his arm was broken. His eyes widened as the wolf crouched, lightning pouring from the remaining shoulder-crystal to course over its body. ¡°I can¡¯t win. I need to run.¡±

    He¡¯d screwed up. That was very clear. The question was whether he¡¯d be able to get out of this situation and maybe try again, or if he¡¯d die here. He pushed himself to his feet, facing the wolf. He gave a half-hearted grin. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d just let me go?¡± He let it hang in the air along with the crackling of the wolf¡¯s electricity.

    The only answer he received was the sway of a tail from one side to the other. He grimaced and lowered himself. ¡°Alright then. I guess we¡¯ll have to do it the hard way.¡± He jumped and leapt higher, using crystals as his stepping stones like the wolf had done. The beast followed him, turning every crystal it touched blue.

    Just above him, there was an enormous one, growing down at an angle from the ceiling. He leapt hard and spun in the air, smashing his heel down on the base, then kicked off, launching himself to the side. The crystal fell atop the wolf, shattering as it hit the ground.

    <hr>

    Graham bit his lip as he tried to set his arm back in place. It was broken just above the elbow and the way it moved when he walked was excruciating. He¡¯d managed to get away from the wolf, but he¡¯d been left with an awful present.

    ¡°It¡¯s no good. It won¡¯t stay put while I¡¯m moving. If only I had something to set it with¡­¡± The cave was rather barren, mostly rock, sand, and crystals. There was nothing to use as rope to bind his arm up. The only thing that he could brace it against were some of the smaller crystals, but he was afraid they might shock him with prolonged contact. His eye was still twitching from that fight.

    ¡°I wonder if that last tactic killed the thing.¡± He kind of hoped it did, from a vindictive point of view, but the practical side hoped it didn¡¯t. After all, he was going to have to eat that thing¡¯s heart, so it¡¯d be best if it wasn¡¯t rotten by the time he got to it.

    Either way, it didn¡¯t seem to be coming after him, so dropping the crystal on it had some kind of effect. ¡°That thing was way too fast. I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m supposed to deal with that,¡± he thought.

    He stopped to rest, sitting on a rock and cradling his arm. ¡°One thing is certain, though. I have to stop jumping around. I¡¯m a sitting duck in the air!¡± The Qi burst was useful and it had saved his ass twice, but it didn¡¯t give him enough mobility to make an aerial fight viable. The wolf was just too fast and could take advantage of any time he spent in the air.

    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll have to keep my feet on the ground. It¡¯ll limit my attack options, but I¡¯ve got no choice,¡± he thought. The worst part was that he¡¯d have to fight it with only one arm. There was no way his broken arm would heal before he met the wolf again.

    He chewed on his thumb, deep in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll have to tie its feet up somehow. If I can seal its speed, I¡¯ll have a chance.¡± The first idea that came to mind was breaking a leg. Unlike Graham, who only needed two legs to move at full speed, the wolf needed all four. However, breaking its leg would be difficult. It would already be on guard against kicks, as he¡¯d used a dive-kick to break one of its crystals.

    He leaned back against the cave wall. ¡°Ah, if only I¡¯d realized it sooner! I could¡¯ve aimed for its leg rather than that crystal!¡± He closed his eyes and pictured the fight, playing it over in his head. ¡°What other weaknesses did it have? There¡¯s got to be something I can take advantage of¡­¡±

    The only long-range attack it had¡ªas far as he knew¡ªwas the bolt attack from its shoulders. With only one, it might not be able to do that again meaning, if he could keep his distance, he might gain the advantage. He didn¡¯t have any long-range attacks, either, but he could probably shatter some crystals and throw the shards. With his strength while circulating, that¡¯d be a powerful attack.

    The wolf was fast, but if he tossed handfuls, it¡¯d be like a shotgun. He grinned. ¡°I¡¯d like to see it dodge that.¡± He pictured the wolf dipping back and forth, slowly progressing through a barrage of crystal fire. He paled. ¡°I change my mind. I don¡¯t want to see that.¡±

    He sighed and looked for a good spot to lay down. He needed some rest if he was going to fight that thing again.

 Chapter 19: Differing Opinions

    Differing opinions

    You should never assume you¡¯re friends will act as you want them to, just because they¡¯re you¡¯re friends. Everyone has their own outlook and they may not agree with what you want to do. Otherwise, they¡¯re not really friends. More like¡­ sycophants.

    . . . . .

    White lightning flashed in his mind and he screamed, pushing himself up with his good arm. He leaned back against the wall, shaking from the pain. ¡°Fuck! Did I roll over on my arm?¡± That was the only thing he could think of. It was definitely the source of his pain and there wasn¡¯t anything else around to cause it.

    He grimaced. ¡°God damn it. I¡¯m gonna get that mutt back for this.¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d broken a bone, but it was the first time he hadn¡¯t had access to painkillers afterward. He also didn¡¯t have a cast or even a splint. ¡°Ahhh¡­ If I don¡¯t do anything, it¡¯ll heal wrong¡­¡± If that happened, his arm might be rendered useless. Or, at least, not as useful as before. If he ever made it back to civilization, they might be able to fix it. They¡¯d have to re-break it, though.

    He blinked. ¡°Actually, I might¡¯ve been asleep for a while¡­ why don¡¯t I try circulating?¡± Maybe that would fix it? It could close up wounds pretty quickly, so it was worth a try.

    He grit his teeth and positioned the arm properly. If circulating did heal it, it needed to do so properly. He¡¯d have to hold it like that while he drew the energy in.

    He slowed his breathing, opening himself to the energy. It rushed in, dulling his pain and filling him with power. There was some discomfort in his arm as if the energy were blocked by the break. He tried to push it a little to move past it. There was an audible click and Graham nearly bit his tongue. ¡°Damn, that was strange!¡± It was like the bone had clicked back together.

    Still, he felt better now. He opened his eyes and stretched out his arm with great care. It felt tender, but there were no problems with movement. ¡°Hahaha! It actually healed the break! I didn¡¯t think it actually would!¡±

    He hopped to his feet, moving the arm around a little more. ¡°It seems like it went back together right¡­ Can I fight with it, though?¡± That was the important question. He¡¯d have to find out. He lowered his stance and pulled his arm back. He fired a punch.

    He screamed as the bone broke again, falling to his knees and cradling his arm. ¡°Dammit! I guess it won¡¯t be that easy. Maybe if I had the fruit.¡± There was only one more, but Robin had it. He¡¯d given it to her before she faced her challenge in the tower, but he never asked for it back.

    He fell back against the wall, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°What a fucking waste. Maybe if I circulate a few times, It¡¯ll heal properly?¡± Unfortunately, that would take hours, at least. Maybe even a day. The wolf would probably find him before then.

    He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to use Thinwell, this time?¡± He held out his good arm, palm up, and tried to block the pain from his mind. ¡°I was able to modify it for the burst maneuver, so maybe it¡¯ll be easier this time?¡± Energy gathered in his hand and began to swirl. White mist gathered between his fingers, like low clouds moving through a mountain range. The mist began to condense and drip into his hand.

    ¡°Shit! I¡¯m gonna lose most of it!¡± It¡¯d probably work a lot better if he could cup two hands, as he¡¯d be better able to contain the water, but as he was¡­ well, that wasn¡¯t possible. He raised his hand above his head, letting the water drip into his mouth. A lot of it dripped down his arm, instead, but it was enough to quench his thirst. ¡°I¡¯m just glad it actually worked.¡±

    A thunderclap echoed through the tunnel, making him wince, but he noticed something afterward. ¡°Footsteps?¡± Had the wolf finally caught up? Fuck, he¡¯d just circulated! He wasn¡¯t in any condition to be fighting, now! He used up the last of his energy to hop up to a high pillar, pressing himself into a crevice in the wall.

    Down the tunnel to his left, he saw something climb over a fallen crystal and hop to the ground. His jaw fell. ¡°Robin?¡± he whispered.

    <hr>

    Just as she climbed over one of the strange crystals, she saw something drop down from the wall in the distance. ¡°What was that?¡± She jumped back to the ground on the other side, looking at the spot she¡¯d seen it.

    Orion hopped down next to her. She looked up at him. ¡°I saw something over there. Can you see it?¡± He was taller, so maybe he¡¯d get a better view? He brought a hand to his forehead, searching.

    ¡°It¡¯s Graham.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡± She scrambled up a boulder to get a better view. It was true. Graham was heading toward them, cradling an arm. Her heart sped up. ¡°He¡¯s alive!¡± A smile lit up her face. ¡°Graham!¡± She waved at him.

    She hopped down and ran to meet him. Her eyes fell on his arm. ¡°Did he get hurt? What happened to him after we got separated?¡± She stopped in front of him.

    He grinned. ¡°You guys are alright. I was worried.¡±

    ¡°I-I was way more worried!¡± she thought. She shook her head. Graham was okay, so she could be mad again. It wasn¡¯t possible when she was worried if he was alive or not, but it wouldn¡¯t be right to forgive him so easily now that she knew he was fine.

    She gripped her chest and took a few breaths. ¡°What happened to your arm?¡±

    Graham grimaced. ¡°I kinda broke it?¡± He tried to shrug and winced.

    Orion arrived next to her. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    Graham explained about finding the room with the skeleton, the new scripture, and the Lycris Hound. He laughed and scratched the back of his head. ¡°I went to fight the thing, but it was stronger than I thought it¡¯d be. Or, rather, way faster. It ended up breaking my arm.¡± He grinned. ¡°But now you guys are here, so it should be a piece of cake!¡±

    Robin¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°What are you talking about!? We¡¯re not going to fight that thing!¡± she shouted. Graham stared at her, his eyes wide. She blushed and slapped her hands over her mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to yell like that! It¡¯s just that it¡¯s so stupid!¡± Why on earth did Graham have to fight that thing? Why should they have to help? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just avoid it and search for an exit?

    ¡°I agree with Robin,¡± Orion said. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in unnecessary fights. And what¡¯s wrong with Standard scripture? It¡¯s worked well for you so far, right?¡±

    Graham furrowed his brow. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t switch to something better when I come across it. I have to kill the wolf to practice Breathing Livewire. It¡¯s not a useless fight, it¡¯s a battle that will help me become stronger.¡± He clenched his good fist. ¡°In fact, I already feel stronger from fighting it. I feel like I¡¯m discovering my fighting style.¡±

    He looked down at his other arm. ¡°But with my arm like this, I can¡¯t win. I need your guys¡¯ help!¡±

    Robin bit her lip, her hands trembling. ¡°No way. I don¡¯t want to fight. I just want to get out of here.¡± She glared at him. ¡°Why are you so set on getting stronger? You¡¯ll just end up hurting someone again!¡±

    He blanched. Robin nodded internally. ¡°That¡¯s right. You regret what you did, right? It was a lesson that this power is too dangerous. Rather than wasting time with finding new items and techniques and growing stronger, we should be focusing on getting home. That¡¯s the only goal worth pursuing!¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Graham would have to understand. Robin knew she was right about this. And she had Orion on her side. He¡¯d have to give in since they had the majority.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I have to fight,¡± Graham said, his eyes on the ground. ¡°I have to learn to control it, right? And, it¡¯s not like we can just get out of here, can we? The only exit was behind that enormous lizard. If we don¡¯t get stronger, how are we supposed to make it past that thing?¡±

    No, that¡¯s not how it was supposed to go. Everything was twisting. Why did his words make sense? Couldn¡¯t they just sneak around? The thought made her body feel heavy. ¡°I¡¯m too scared to even approach it¡­ and we don¡¯t really know anything about it. Maybe it has really good senses?¡± If that were the case, sneaking past would be hard. So, they might have no choice but to defeat it, but she couldn¡¯t even imagine that happening as they were.

    She shook her head. ¡°No. Don¡¯t get swayed. You can¡¯t let him talk you into this. That wolf thing sounds dangerous, and if it could break Graham¡¯s arm¡­¡± She¡¯d already acknowledged that Graham was stronger than her. If only because he was infinitely more willing to fight. She and Orion still couldn¡¯t even circulate without the scripture.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you''re being a bit selfish?¡± Orion asked, his eyes narrow. ¡°You¡¯re asking us to put our lives in danger so you can have a new toy. What do we gain from this?¡±

    Graham¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°I¡ªYou¡¯ll have a stronger companion. Isn¡¯t that a good thing? If I¡¯m more capable we can better deal with any new challenges we face.¡± His eyes flicked back and forth between them. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta understand how that¡¯s good, right?¡±

    Robin averted her eyes. She didn¡¯t want anything to do with this.

    Graham was silent for a while. She could picture him drooping in her head, disappointment dragging him down until he was hunched over. ¡°Fine, then. I¡¯ll kill the thing myself. Robin,¡± He addressed her. She looked up, blinking. ¡°Can I have that fruit I lent you?¡±

    Her hand went to her¡ªGraham¡¯s¡ªjacket pocket. She hadn¡¯t used it. She hadn¡¯t really gotten any injuries that would justify eating it, even though Graham had told her she could. Her hand closed around the fruit. It felt colder than it should. ¡°If I give this to him¡­ he¡¯ll go fight again. He might die.¡± She¡¯d only just learned he was alive and he wanted to go risk his life again? For some lightning powers? How could he think it was worth it? What was going through his head?

    But¡­ the fruit didn¡¯t belong to her. She couldn¡¯t keep it from him, just because she disagreed with what he was going to do. That¡¯d be stealing. It would make her a hypocrite. Hadn¡¯t she gotten angry at him for stealing? She had to give it to him.

    She closed her eyes and placed the miraculous fruit into his outstretched hand.

    Graham sighed. ¡°You guys might want to go back the way you came,¡± he said. ¡°If you continue this way, you¡¯ll run into the wolf. If I defeat it, I¡¯ll try to catch up with you.¡± He turned and left.

    Robin¡¯s eyes grew hot. ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Why doesn¡¯t he even value his own life?¡± she thought, wiping her face with a sleeve. She took a deep breath. ¡°Graham! Be careful!¡± Her yell echoed down the tunnel.

    <hr>

    Graham wound his arm in a circle a few times, smiling when he felt no pain. ¡°It seems like the fruit worked better than a single circulation. I¡¯m in good enough condition to fight, now.¡±

    Robin flashed into his mind and he frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what her problem is. If we worked together, we could definitely defeat the wolf. Orion could stop its charge, Robin could bind its feet with her vine, then I¡¯d go in for the finish. It¡¯d be simple.¡± And yet, they¡¯d both refused to fight. It didn¡¯t make any sense. Any chance to grow stronger should be seized with both hands! That much should be obvious! It was the whole point of this game!

    He sighed, then focused himself, throwing a few test punches at the air. ¡°Yep, it¡¯ll work. Now, I just need to find the wolf and finish it off.¡± Finding the wolf was just a matter of retracing his steps. There were only two directions to go in the tunnel, after all.

    ¡°It might be a little harder without their help, but I was planning to kill it on my own in the first place. That just means that nothing¡¯s changed,¡± he thought.

    He found the wolf licking its wounds not far from where he¡¯d dropped that giant crystal on it. He didn¡¯t have a chance for a sneak attack, as the wolf noticed him instantly. It raised its hackles, regarding him with a wary eye.

    Graham crouched low and drew in Qi, prepared to move at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°It¡¯s still alive. Alright. But it¡¯s hurt a bit. And I¡¯m in good condition. As long as I stay out of the air, this should be doable.¡± he sidled up to a man-sized crystal growing up from the ground and smashed a fist on it, shattering it into pieces. The wolf growled and took a step back.

    Graham moved! He swiftly picked up the shards and threw them at the wolf. They flew like arrows, cutting the air at high speed. The wolf danced side-to-side, narrowly avoiding them. It was still fast.

    Graham ran out of shards and moved to another crystalline stalagmite, but the wolf closed in before he could break it. Graham grit his teeth and readied his bone spike. The Wolf lunged with razor teeth and Graham stabbed out, slicing its face. The wolf yelped and flinched back, its tongue flicking out to lick the cut on its maw.

    Graham clicked his tongue. ¡°I was going for an eye.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°Still, this could be good. I want it to be hesitant to come near me. I don¡¯t want to get shocked by that fur again.¡± That still left the problem of how he was going to attack. He needed to destroy those crystal growths, but that would be difficult since the wolf was faster than him.

    The wolf barked, a thunderous noise, and Graham flinched back. It lunged again, sharp teeth seeking his arm. Graham¡¯s first instinct was to jump out of the way, but he had to stop himself. ¡°That¡¯s what it wants!¡± Using the momentum from flinching back, he spun and kicked the wolf¡¯s shoulder with his heel, knocking the beast away.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Pain ran through him, muscles spasming from the wolf¡¯s electricity. ¡°Damn, that hurts!¡± The wolf began to stand and Graham pulled a large crystal from the ground to toss at the wolf, whole.

    The beast dodged and it shattered on the ground. It charged Graham and he spun to the side to dodge it, running past to gain access to the pile of crystal shards he¡¯d created. He¡¯d only just picked a shard up when the wolf was upon him again. He spun and stabbed with the crystal, blocking the creature¡¯s maw with a forearm to prevent it from ripping his face off.

    His eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s not electrifying me?¡± The crystal hadn¡¯t penetrated very far, on account of the wolf¡¯s thick hide, but somehow it seemed to be attracting all the electricity, like some kind of hand-held lightning rod. The wolf snapped at him and he gathered his strength to throw it off. The crystal in his hand had turned slightly blue.

    Graham grinned. ¡°Alright. This can help.¡± The wolf charged again and Graham dropped his spike to pick up a second shard, long as a dagger and jagged. They clashed time and again, Graham putting more and more cuts into the beast¡¯s body. Now that he didn¡¯t have to worry about being shocked, he could attack more freely.

    The wolf panted, bloody red patches marring its silver fur. ¡°It¡¯s on its last legs!¡± Graham thought. He might actually do this. He could feel the blood and Qi pumping through him, the way it sent power to every fraction of his body, enhancing his strength and healing the damage the electricity had caused. He¡¯d been fighting for at least a minute, yet he felt great.

    Up above, a crystal growing from the wall began to glow blue. Graham tensed, eyes flicking between the wolf and the crystal. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think the wolf is doing it. There¡¯s another one a bit further down.¡± It must¡¯ve been a natural occurrence. When he looked back to the wolf, it was gone, bounding up until it landed on the crystal. A storm of lightning surged around the crystal and the wolf sucked it all into its maw. Its fur turned black, great snakes of lightning twining around the beast.

    Graham felt his blood run cold. ¡°Is that allowed? You can just power up? Just like that?¡± Foam dripped from the beast¡¯s mouth and its body shook. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not so easy, then?¡±

    The wolf howled and charged down, still wreathed in lightning. Graham grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t let it hit me.¡± He leapt back, dodging between purple stalagmites. The wolf followed, its speed incredible. He could barely follow it with his eyes. Graham¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I can¡¯t get away!¡± Against his better judgment, he jumped. The wolf jumped, too, and they collided in the air.

    Rending pain, like his body had birthed a new sun within and it was incinerating him from the inside. He couldn¡¯t think or even yell, as the lightning co-opted his nervous system and sent it into wild throes. Like a bullet, they slammed into the wall, sending spidery cracks out in a large radius.

    Grahams¡¯ consciousness flickered in and out, his body still twitching. However, the stone had pinched around him, holding him in place on the wall several meters up. Vaguely, he saw the wolf land on the ground and run to the other side of the tunnel to turn around for a second go.

    ¡°Well, shit,¡± he thought. His mouth tasted like blood and it felt like everything was broken. Though, he didn¡¯t entirely trust his senses, fried as they¡¯d been by the lightning. If he didn¡¯t do something, now, the wolf would slam into him again and he didn¡¯t think he could survive a second time. But he couldn¡¯t move. That electricity had been too potent. ¡°Which is exactly why I wanted to use that new scripture¡­¡±

    He shut his eyes. The only thing he could think to do was try to draw in more Qi. He wasn¡¯t even sure it was possible when he was already circulating, but he¡¯d try anything at this point. ¡°I wonder if Robin would be sad if I die? She seemed pretty happy to see me, despite our disagreement.¡±

    Heavy thuds rang out as the wolf barreled toward him. Graham grit his teeth and focused. ¡°It¡¯s now or nothing.¡±

 Chapter 20: A Big Heart

    A Big Heart

    If you¡¯ve got people who care about you, rely on you, be careful of what you do. Your decisions will affect them. It¡¯s too late to regret getting a friend hurt, after the fact.

    . . . . .

    It hurt. It felt like needles driving into every pore. ¡°Come on. I just need to be able to move!¡± Graham thought. He needed more Qi to heal his wounds. His finger twitched and his eyes snapped open. The wolf was nearly upon him.

    He grit his teeth. ¡°Come on!¡± He pried his arm out, then the other. It was too late. He didn¡¯t have any time left and he still couldn¡¯t control his body properly.

    He shut his eyes and turned his head away, waiting for sharp teeth to sink into his neck and steal his life away. Something swished through the air and the wolf yelped.

    Graham looked and his eyes widened. ¡°Robin!¡± She stood there, breathing hard, her posture like she¡¯d just thrown something. ¡°Why did she come?¡± The wolf shrugged off a rock, growling at her. She blanched, eyes flickering to Graham.

    ¡°Shit! She doesn¡¯t know what to do!¡± He could hear his heart pound as he struggled to free himself from his stony shackles. Every movement hurt as if he¡¯d spent the last week running a marathon, non-stop.

    He pulled a leg out with a snarl, but the wolf was already running for her. ¡°Robin! Tie up its feet! Use the vine!¡±

    She gaped at him then nodded and turned to run. He frowned as he freed the other leg. ¡°What is she doing? You can¡¯t run from that thing; it¡¯s too fast.¡± He fell to the ground, groaning at the impact. ¡°I¡¯ve got to help her. If she dies because of me¡­ I¡¯ll regret it for a long time.¡±

    He could hardly put the strength into his arms to push himself up. What¡¯s more was they seemed to be stuck. His elbows and knees wouldn¡¯t bend and he could hardly turn his neck. ¡°Fuck! What¡¯s going on?! I need to move!¡±

    Robin screamed and he searched for her. She¡¯d wrapped the vine around the wolf, but now she was shaking on the ground. His eyes widened. ¡°The electricity!¡± It must¡¯ve traveled through the vine and shocked her. He hadn¡¯t considered that.

    He reached a faltering hand forward, digging his fingers into the sandy floor to drag himself toward her. ¡°Robin! Run away! Just let me handle this!¡± She didn¡¯t need to die for him. For his stupid selfishness. She¡¯d been right in what she said before; this was foolish. He should never have challenged the wolf. Not without having a good idea of its strength.

    The wolf bit through the vines to free itself and approached Robin as she lay panting on the ground. Graham snarled. ¡°Hey! Over here, you fucking mutt!¡± But the wolf paid him no mind. It hovered over her, its legs shaking and foam dripping from its mouth. It seemed like it was on its last legs, but that wouldn¡¯t stop it from killing them both. ¡°Robin! Stand up and run!¡±

    He dragged himself closer and closer, all the while having no idea how he would help her. He didn¡¯t have the strength to save himself, let alone someone else. But he couldn¡¯t just abandon her to her fate.

    But it seemed fate hadn¡¯t abandoned her. A large boulder whistled through the air and smashed into the wolf¡¯s side. It kept going until the wolf had been crushed between the boulder and the wall. It let out a pitiful yelp as its fur faded to a grayish color, not quite the magnificent silver it had once been but not black, either. Its head fell, limp, and its eyes stared at the ground, unseeing.

    Orion appeared from behind a crystal pillar, dusting his hands off. He helped Robin to her feet, making sure she could stand before he approached Graham.

    Graham looked down at the white sand. ¡°What should I say to him? They were both right. I nearly got Robin killed in this fight. How many times and I going to fuck up before I learn my lesson?¡±

    Orion stopped, looming over him. Graham didn¡¯t look up, too ashamed to meet his eyes. He still couldn¡¯t move, so there was no running from this. Orion was silent a while before he coughed. ¡°You alright?¡±

    Graham shook his head. ¡°No. I feel awful and I can¡¯t move.¡± He laughed. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± With tremendous effort, he pushed himself over onto his back so he could look at both of them. ¡°Robin, Orion, I¡¯m sorry. This was an awful idea.¡± He focused on Robin. ¡°You were nearly killed because you came to help me¡­¡±

    His chest hurt as if the wolf were alive and stepping on it, pressing harder and harder, digging its claws in. He moved a trembling hand, grabbing a scroll from his pocket. The scripture for Breathing Livewire. ¡°One of you should take this, instead of me. There are only enough materials for one person to use it, but I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    This was the only way he could think of to make amends at the moment. Robin was the one who deserved it most, but she probably wouldn¡¯t want it. That meant Orion would be the one to take it. That was fine. He¡¯d figure out how to make it up to Robin at some point. And he¡¯d apologize again about killing James. She deserved more respect than he¡¯d given her.

    Orion and Robin glanced at each other. Robin shook her head. Orion shrugged. ¡°Sorry, Graham. We don¡¯t want it.¡± He knelt, grabbed Graham, and threw him over his shoulder.

    Graham yelped. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±

    Orion sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t move, right? There¡¯s no other choice but for me to carry you.¡±

    Graham couldn¡¯t say anything, as it was the truth. Robin wrung her hands together. ¡°Graham, I know I said I was against this, but I understand why you thought you had to do it. I came here to help because I wanted to, so it¡¯s not your fault I got hurt.¡±

    Graham grimaced. ¡°But I told you to use the vine and, when you did, it shocked you. I should¡¯ve told you more about the wolf¡¯s abilities before, when I had the chance.¡±

    Orion huffed. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve. But you didn¡¯t. It¡¯s in the past, no point worrying about it, now. We should just focus on getting out of here.¡± He paused. ¡°Though, you will owe me one for saving you, considering you brought this situation upon yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s fair.¡±

    <hr>

    Orion trudged forward with heavy steps, carrying Graham and dragging a massive wolf carcass behind him at the same time. It was hard work. Graham had told them where to go to find the room he¡¯d found the new scripture in, and they were heading there, Robin walking next to him.

    They were all quiet. He assumed Graham was reflecting on his actions and Robin didn¡¯t know what to say. As for himself? He was too busy with his burdens for that. He let out a long breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I bothered to save this idiot. Picking fights for no good reason. Getting Robin involved because there¡¯s no way she¡¯d leave him alone. I feel like the only adult here.¡± That might even hold some truth. Both Robin and Graham seemed pretty young, probably early twenties.

    ¡°And here I am, nearly thirty, hanging out with these youngsters.¡± He grinned, holding back a laugh. Still, Graham had been right about one thing. Working together, they had defeated the wolf. Of course, Graham had done all the heavy lifting. Robin only kept it still long enough to give Orion a good shot. With the wolf so tired and wounded, it was no wonder it couldn¡¯t dodge.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    He was pulled up short. He swore and pulled harder on the wolf. One of its crystals was stuck in a crevice.

    ¡°Oh! Let me help,¡± Robin said, circling around to the wolf¡¯s side. She stopped, staring at the carcass distastefully, her hands positioned as if she were about to grab it. She turned to look at Orion. ¡°Actually¡­¡±

    Graham, still draped over Orion¡¯s shoulder, laughed. ¡°Too gross, huh?¡±

    Robin blushed. ¡°I-It¡¯s not¡­ I mean¡­¡±

    Orion frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± He grabbed the back of Graham¡¯s shirt and tossed him at Robin. She yelped and struggled to catch him. Graham groaned at the sudden relocation. ¡°So, you can hold on to him, right?¡± He smiled and unjammed the wolf, getting a better grip to drag it along. It¡¯d probably be easier to gut it for the heart and core, now, rather than do it at the room, but Orion certainly wasn¡¯t going to be the one to do it. Robin probably wouldn¡¯t either. If Graham wanted it done, he¡¯d have to do it himself. But, he wasn¡¯t in any condition to do so, so he¡¯d have to do it later, when he could move again.

    He could feel a pitiable stare digging into his back. Robin would just have to deal with it. It was about time for that fight to end, anyway. Maybe this would help things along? He glanced back to see Robin shift Graham into a piggyback, her face turning red. Was she that angry?

    They continued on. ¡°Considering all the effort he went through for it, I wonder if that new scripture will be any good?¡± He felt like Standard Script was good enough for most people. Super strength and the ability to heal most injuries rapidly? It was a good deal.

    Would this new scripture give him the same things, plus lightning powers? Or would it be something different entirely? Despite the preoccupation of his mother and her entire family with Seekers, he¡¯d never even known enough about scriptures to be asking these questions.

    Lightning powers could be useful, though. He could subdue an enemy through paralysis rather than being forced to kill them. Any way he could avoid killing was great. Maybe he should take Graham up on that offer he made earlier? He¡¯d already figured out how to circulate without the scripture¡ªsomething that he¡¯d had to do, as Graham gave their scripture to Gloria. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he thought that was a good idea.¡±

    Robin had managed it, as well. They¡¯d both been trying since that meeting with the giant lizard and it wasn¡¯t as hard as he¡¯d imagined it would be. Graham had managed it pretty quickly anyway, so it might not actually be all that impressive.

    Whispers drifted forward to him. Graham and Robin were talking to each other. ¡°That¡¯s a start, at least. Hopefully, everything that¡¯s happened will blow over and we can start acting more like a team. It¡¯ll definitely be necessary to get out of here.¡±

    He grunted as he had to pull the wolf over a low ledge. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll take the scripture. Graham did all the work. He risked his life for it. And I think he¡¯s already learned his lesson. No need to punish him more for it.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never made a mistake.¡±

    They¡¯d go to the room Graham had found, wait for him to recover, let him do the ritual thing he needed to practice the new scripture, then they could focus on getting out of here. And maybe he¡¯d take a look at that sigil that was carved into the ground. The sigilcraft book was very interesting and he might be able to learn something from it.

    <hr>

    Robin sat against the wall, her knees pulled up to her chin. She made sure to stay on the opposite side of the room from the skeleton. She wasn¡¯t very much interested in touching something dead, no matter how long it¡¯d been.

    A few hours had passed and Graham had regained his mobility.

    Now he was using one of those crystals to dig out the stuff he needed from the wolf. It was disgusting. Then again, Graham was already covered in blood, most of it his own, so she guessed he just didn¡¯t care anymore. Orion sat next to the sigil in the center of the room, that book of sigilcraft open in his hands. He¡¯d read the book then glance at the circle, then read some more, then hum to himself, then read some more, then scratch his head, and so on.

    There was a sickly splash as Graham succeeded in cutting open the beast¡¯s belly. The stench of blood crept toward her as the red liquid pooled on the ground, assaulting her nose. She slapped her hands over her face, turning away from the gruesome sight. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna hurl,¡± she thought.

    Why did he have to do this in the room? Couldn¡¯t he have done it outside with the door closed so she wouldn¡¯t even have to see it? She blamed Orion for dragging the wolf in here for no explicable reason. She also blamed Graham for being so determined to use that new scripture. Didn¡¯t he find it a little strange that it basically required animal sacrifice?! That¡¯s creepy as hell!

    She sighed and moved further from the bloody mess.

    She didn¡¯t quite understand why she¡¯d gone to save Graham. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to fight the wolf and I told Graham I wouldn¡¯t. Why can¡¯t I stick to my decisions?¡± Of course, if she hadn¡¯t gone, Graham probably would¡¯ve died. She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want that, I just want him to be more reasonable. This place is dangerous, so we should be careful and not pick fights with strange animals!¡± It was just common sense, right? Sane people didn¡¯t do things like that.

    Considering all he¡¯d done recently, she should be much angrier than she was. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t hold onto that anger. She kept wanting to talk to him and rely on him. Even when he couldn¡¯t move, he¡¯d tried to save her. ¡°He wanted to help me so badly, and he even offered to give up the scripture he¡¯d fought with his life for, just to apologize.¡± She brought a finger to her lips, biting it lightly.

    ¡°And while I was carrying him, he apologized again.¡±

    I never meant to hurt you, he¡¯d said. I just want us all to survive and get out of here. I¡¯m sorry I killed James, but he was attacking us. I did what I thought needed to be done.

    He may have hit too hard, but she couldn¡¯t fault his intentions. James had attacked them, possessed or not. It¡¯s not like they could just let that happen. He¡¯d even made sure Gloria was safe in the tower afterward and gave her the scripture so she¡¯d have the chance to overcome her possession. ¡°Not that that¡¯s too likely¡­¡±

    She bit harder, ignoring the pain in her finger. ¡°Still, he didn¡¯t apologize for stealing. Does he really think it¡¯s okay, just because there are no police here? Am I the weird one?¡± It just went against her sensibilities. ¡°I can¡¯t just forgive him because he¡¯s been nice. I can¡¯t keep going back on my decisions. But, if I keep talking to him¡­ I might change my mind.¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to ignore him, for now. It¡¯s the only way I can stick to my guns.¡±

    It was unfortunate. She didn¡¯t like not talking to Graham. He was her friend, even though they¡¯d only known each other for a day or two, and, in this place, she needed as many friends as she could get.

    <hr>

    Graham ran a hand down his arm, wiping off the blood that had accumulated on it. Despite that, the appendage was still red, stained. The other arm was the same. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wash off later. I don¡¯t want to circulate to use Thinwell, right now.¡± After all, that might immobilize him again. He¡¯d come to learn that that was the penalty for overusing Qi. Damned if he knew why, though.

    He¡¯d successfully carved out the heart and the core from the wolf. No, the Lycris Hound. He had everything he needed to create the Lightning Seed and begin practicing his new scripture. He grimaced. ¡°I guess I need to eat the heart now.¡± It was large, twice the size of his fist, and it still twitched occasionally. Not to mention the yellow fat deposits on its surface. Further, it was possible that cooking it would ruin whatever mystical properties it would bestow upon him to use the scripture, so he¡¯d have to eat it raw.

    He stared at the thing where it laid on the ground. ¡°Nothing left but to do it,¡± he told himself.

    Robin yelled at him when he picked it up, ¡°Do that outside! I don¡¯t want to see you eating that!¡± She shuddered, hugging herself and facing away from him.

    ¡°Hehe. Well, at least she¡¯s mad at me for something understandable.¡± This was definitely going to be gross. He looked to Orion where he was sitting next to the circle. ¡°Do you want to go ahead and combine the core with the crystal?¡±

    Orion¡¯s head snapped up, eyes blinking and swimming around in search of Graham. They found him. ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯ll do that.¡± He grabbed the bloody core, not caring that his hands were getting dirty. The core was smaller than Graham had expected, like a pebble you¡¯d find in the road. It was a deep matte blue color that didn¡¯t reflect any light but had its own inner glow.

    He¡¯d never seen the like.

    He went outside, out of Robin¡¯s view, and tore into the heart with his teeth. It was tough and stringy, being made of powerful muscle. It tasted of iron and was similarly hard to chew. ¡°I can hardly believe I¡¯m doing this,¡± he thought, grimacing as a piece of heartstring got stuck between his teeth. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t get any diseases from this.¡± The scripture would have mentioned a danger like that, right?

    Wait, did Seekers even get sick? He didn¡¯t know. Maybe they had their own super-diseases? That was a terrifying thought.

    He choked down the last of the heart, waiting for some strange magic to encompass him, or something. Nothing happened. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be¡­ something? Some kind of powerful feeling?¡± All he could feel was an upset stomach and the taste of blood on his tongue. Neither were pleasant, though they were both certainly powerful.

    He sighed. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t know if it worked until after I have the Lightning Seed.¡± His face brightened up. The hard part was over. Now, he just had to follow the instructions in the Scripture and gain his reward.